The Irregulars
by Ulura
Summary: Sherlock Holmes did not do relationships. However it wasn't his fault that some young members of his homeless network, the Irregulars, had taken to calling him 'Dad'. Nor was it his fault that the police got the entirely wrong idea when they showed up.
1. Chapter 1: The Irregulars

London was a large city, and with every large city comes the homeless.  
>Sherlock had spent quite a few of his less productive, drug-addled days on the streets, so he felt sympathy for them. His homeless network was a way of helping them in a small way. A little money here and there did wonders. He couldn't give too much, of course, otherwise the money would go to the wrong kind of people, those who would waste it on alcohol and drugs like he had. No, he had to be careful who he gave it to.<p>

The Irregulars were the ones he looked out for the most, the homeless children of London. They were a small bunch. He knew them all and, dare he say it, was slightly fond of them. They enjoyed helping him with cases too, when they could. Mostly small cases, even he wouldn't put a child in danger if he could help it.  
>Most of them got their meals about a mile or so from Baker Street, at a soup kitchen owned by a small family. The eldest daughter of said family was 28 year old Mira. She spent most of her time trying to keep the Irregulars in line.<br>The small group of kids ranged from ages four to fourteen, and because of the care Mira and Sherlock bestowed upon them from time to time, they had taken to calling them Mum and Dad. Sherlock didn't particularly like the title, but he wasn't fazed and it did help him get them out of trouble occasionally by pretending to be their father. This was one such occasion.

He and John were at a crime scene, just about to leave because he had some serious research to do on shoe laces for the case. Lestrade was walking with them, trying to follow Sherlock's reasoning for needing to take the murder victim's shoes when Donovan appeared from around the corner, two children running from her.  
>Sherlock recognised them instantly. The boy was fourteen, Joseph, and the girl was only four, Nina. Judging by how clean they were looking, they had been with Mira recently, and looked presentable, which was rare for the Irregulars. When the two saw Sherlock, their eyes lit up and they went straight into acting mode, something all street children were good at.<p>

"Dad!" they cried, running straight up to him and wrapping their arms around his waist, looking afraid of Donovan. How this simple trick worked on everybody amazed Sherlock. In reality, the one thing street urchins were never afraid of was police.  
>Donovan's jaw dropped.<p>

Actually, everybody in the vicinity who knew Sherlock had the same reaction, including John and Lestrade, who, despite knowing Sherlock a long time, had never seen the Irregulars. The kids always came by while they were away.  
>Mentally rolling his eyes, Sherlock played along, putting an arm around each of the kids.<p>

"What have you two done now?" he asked dryly. "Joseph? Nina?"

"Nothing," Joseph answered, obviously lying. "She's chasing us."

"Were you picking pockets again?" Sherlock asked angrily. It was a habit he was trying to get the Irregulars to kick.

"We only took a watch," Nina murmured quietly, holding out the gold band.

"Nina!" Joseph growled, obviously frustrated she had given in so easily.

"I don't like lying to daddy," she said, looking up at Sherlock, crocodile tears in her eyes. Nina knew Sherlock wouldn't be fooled, but the display was more for the police officers than anything else.

"These are your kids?" Donovan gaped.  
>Sherlock nodded, and the two children grinned.<p>

"Where are your siblings?" Sherlock asked. "You haven't got them out pick pocketing too, have you?"

"Nah, they are all back with Mummy," Joseph replied. "She's making us all take baths..."

"Mummy?" Lestrade choked out. "Siblings?"

"Sherlock wha-" John started, but he never got to finish. Nina jumped up into his arms, much to his surprise.

"Hiya, Uncle John!" She smiled and Sherlock chuckled. She then threw the watch to Joseph, who handed it guiltily back to Donovan.

"You can take it back to the man we took it from," he said. "We're sorry."

"I've got work to do," Sherlock announced to the two children who gathered back in front of him. "Go on, and no more stealing."

"Alright, Dad," they sighed, turning and running off, giggling to themselves.

"And stay on the paths I marked for you!" Sherlock called. He didn't like it when the Irregulars wandered into the slums of the city, they were dangerous.  
>Before the kids could disappear, however, Mira appeared around the corner looking furious. The anger disappeared when she saw the two a few meters from Sherlock and the police. She surmised what had happened when her eyes found their way to the watch in Donovan's hands.<p>

"There you two are!" she growled. "Thank you for finding them, Sherlock dear."

Sherlock mentally rolled his eyes once more. Mira did like to mess with people a bit.

"I didn't, Donovan did." He pointed to the shell shocked woman who was staring at Mira. She quite obviously thought Mira was Sherlock's wife or something of the kind. Sherlock had to admit, messing with Scotland Yard was quite entertaining.

"Well, thank you," Mira smiled, "I've got to keep my eyes on so many of them, they tend to sneak away."

"We didn't sneak Mummy," Nina grumbled, "We went walking."

"That's mummy?" John muttered, confused. Sherlock nodded.

"Well, I think it's about time you two left Dad to do his work," Mira smiled, taking each child by the hand and leading them around the corner. "I'll see you later, Sherlock!"

"The freak has kids!" Donovan exclaimed finally, very worked up.

"Siblings?" Lestrade repeated, looking Sherlock in the eye. "How many of them are there exactly?"

"Fourteen," Sherlock shrugged. It was true. There were fourteen Irregulars and they all referred to him as 'Dad'.

"Fourteen?" Donovan spluttered.

"John, did you know about this?" Lestrade asked, turning to the doctor.

John made eye contact with Sherlock for the briefest moments. The detective could tell he didn't understand what was going on, but a small mischievous glint in his eyes told Sherlock he'd play along.

"Of course," John smiled. "Why do you think the flat is such a mess all the time?"

"You fit fourteen kids in that flat?" Donovan gaped.

"'Course not, they live with their mum. Sherlock's work is much too dangerous, so they visit," John continued giving Sherlock the 'You-better-explain-this-later-or-you-are-going-to-get-it' look.

"Come along, John," Sherlock called, walking away. "We have shoe laces to research!"

The minute they were out of ear shot, John had demanded an explanation. Sherlock told him the truth. He'd never lie to John if he could help it. Once he'd finished explaining, John roared with laughter, saying how glad he was that he'd played along and how they had to do something similar again.  
>Though Sherlock was impatient to solve the case, he agreed that the reactions of the police force were most interesting.<br>Perhaps it would not be such a bad idea.

**I love the Baker Street Irregular and I think it's sad they got cut out of Sherlock so here they are. I might add more stories to this but I don't know yet, it might just be a casual thing here and there but unless its in high demand I doubt this will be updated regularly.**

**I created the character of Mira not as a romantic interest for Sherlock but just so I could give the kids a "Mum" in order to freak out Donovan and Lestrade XD**


	2. Chapter 2: The Family

**I never imagined this would be so popular! I decided I would just pick names and ages for the 14 Irregulars and out them at the start so I dont need to describe them. These are completely random names I just thought up :P I dunno if I will use them all yet but I said there were 14 so here we go**

**Joseph - 14**

**Nina - 4**

**Emily - 11**

**Mason - 6**

**Riley - 8**

**Sam - 9**

**Natty - 7**

**Halie - 12**

**Marie - 6**

**Dan - 10**

**Ricky - 11**

**Lisa - 5**

**Carlo - 9**

**Mikey - 7**

* * *

><p>John sighed, beginning the struggle up the staircase with arms full of shopping. He and Sherlock had spent the last week on a particularly busy case and, as usual, the detective had barely eaten. Since John had no chance to shop, all their food was gone. Naturally, Sherlock opted to sit around, bored at home, while John lugged the heavy bags up to the kitchen.<p>

"Hey Uncle John, ya alright with that?"

Sam. He had become acquainted with Sam a few weeks ago when Sherlock dressed the boy in a school uniform and slipped him into a private school to spy on one of the teachers. The kid had loved it, and the food that came as a reward. He was a good kid really, just a little mischievous. It was how John imagined Sherlock would have been as a child.

"Lemme help!" he demanded, taking a few of the bags and running back up the stairs.

"Hi, Uncle John!" came another two cries as he entered the room. Halie and Marie were seated on the floor, handing pictures to Sherlock, who was studying them with interest.

"The Irregulars have spotted a series of mysterious disappearances among the homeless network," Sherlock explained as John put down the shopping, snatching the chocolate Sam was trying to sneak into his dirty coat and replacing it with an apple. Sam scowled. The doctor immediately regretted the switch as Halie and Marie came and grabbed one apple each. At first, he didn't understand why Sherlock didn't give them money regularly, or better still, find a place for them to stay. Now he did. The kids had little to no manners. What one of them had, the rest wanted. They all lived somewhere, but John was not yet informed where that somewhere was.

"Where did you three get a camera to take these photos?" John asked.

Sherlock looked up. John knew the man well enough that he had been so wrapped up in the pictures he hadn't thought of it. The detective narrowed his eyes at the three.

"We were only borrowing," Halie grumbled. "We gave it back."

This seemed good enough for Sherlock, who turned back to the mysterious disappearances. John gave the kids a scolding stare, and they shrunk back.

"You shouldn't be stealing," he growled. "Even if you do give it back."

"Sorry Uncle John," they chimed. He didn't know why they all called him that now, but guessed it was because Sherlock was their 'Dad'. He hadn't seen much of Mira lately, but the Irregulars assured him they went and saw her often. John was broken from his thoughts when he noticed Marie climbing up the bookcase, looking for some request of Sherlock's that just happened to be on the highest shelf. He had been about to grab her down and rest her safely on the floor when he heard the door downstairs open. Several people came in, and Sam poked his head out the door.

"Oh great, it's the fuzz!" he yelled, running back inside and jumping on the floor beside Halie, next to Sherlock's armchair. John smiled as Lestrade, Anderson, and Donovan entered the room, each with equally surprised looks on their faces when they spotted Sherlock surrounded by two children, Marie still on the bookcase.

"Marie!" John chided, grabbing her off the top shelf just as she threw the book to Sherlock. "You shouldn't be climbing the furniture!"

"Uncle Joooohn," she drawled, squirming out of his grasp. She jumped onto the back of Sherlock's chair and started pointing out the pictures she had taken.

"You were actually serious?" Anderson gaped. "Kids, he's got kids."

"Fourteen," Donovan sighed.

John stifled a laugh. God, he hoped they could keep this up for a long time.

"Anyways," Lestrade coughed, "We have a case you might be interested in."

"Dad's working on our case now," Halie grumbled.

"Halie," Sherlock warned before turning to Lestrade. "What's the case?"

"Hands, we've found several hands all strung together in a dumpster, but no bodies," Lestrade answered. "Anderson is at a loss to explain it."

"Not surprising," Sherlock smirked. Anderson gave him a withering look.

"I'll take it. I can work both these cases," Sherlock insisted. "I've already half solved this one."

"Really?" Marie smiled. Sherlock nodded before turning to Sam.

"Go and see Mycroft, tell him the homeless are not his test subjects," Sherlock told him.

The dirty faced boy ran out the door, poking his tongue out at Anderson as he left.

"Bye, Uncle John!" he yelled, taking the stairs two at a time.

"Uncle John?" Lestrade raised an eyebrow. John just shrugged.

"Alright, Lestrade let's go." Sherlock threw on his coat and turned to Halie and Marie. "You two should stay away from the town centre today, alright?"  
>The two nodded. Then, to the surprise of the entire room, Sherlock unwrapped his scarf, knelt down, and tied it around Marie's neck instead. The scarf was almost as big as her, but she grinned in appreciation.<p>

"Off you go then." Sherlock waved them over to the door and they passed the police, who were eyeing them. Marie stopped and looked up at the gaping Anderson for a second, narrowing her small eyes.

"Don't you know it's rude to stare?" she said, before turning and following Halie out the door and down the stairs. Sherlock followed them out.

"I'll meet you at the station. Come on John, we need a cab," he yelled. John followed him out the room, trying his best to suppress a grin. He stopped for a second and turned back to the small team from Scotland Yard.

"Like father, like daughter, eh?"

**OK WOW! I never thought this story would be so popular!**

**I've got two other stories planned out which are much better than this chapter but I was halfway through writing it so I figured what they hey, I'll write them after this one.**


	3. Chapter 3: Kidnapping

**Picture by Zebraanimator on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 14**

**Nina - 4**

**Emily - 11**

**Mason - 6**

**Riley - 8**

**Sam - 9**

**Natty - 7**

**Halie - 12**

**Marie - 6**

**Dan - 10**

**Ricky - 11**

**Lisa - 5**

**Carlo - 9**

**Mikey - 7**

* * *

><p>Anderson had been about to head off to lunch with Sally, but the freak had taken over the DI's office, raving about how stupid the police force was. Children had been going missing all over town, regardless of gender, race, or religion. It seemed no one's kids were safe and people were in a state of panic as over twenty kids had been taken in the last month.<br>As they exited, Sally was nearly bowled over by a boy with a tear-stained face rushing into the police station.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Sally asked as the kid sniffled. "What's your name?"

"M-Mikey," he sniffled. "My s-sister is gone, I can't find her."

Another kid taken...

"Come in, you can tell the inspector," Anderson offered. "Then we had better find your parents."

"I c-came here looking for my dad," Mikey admitted before bursting into tears again. "He told us t-to stay away from down town, b-but w-we went anyway and the men took her!"

"Your dad's a police officer?" Sally asked as they led the boy into the office. Everybody turned to look except the freak, of course. Why would he care if there was a crying kid in the room? The kid sniffled, whipping the tears off his face with his sleeve.

"We've got another one," Sally sighed to Lestrade. "This kid's sister, he saw her get taken."

"I'm really sorry, dad," Mikey croaked, but not to Lestrade, to the freak. Sherlock turned and looked down at the boy.

"You went downtown like I told you not to." It wasn't a question, but Mikey nodded anyway.  
>Sherlock sighed.<p>

"What happened? Tell me everything you remember, no matter how insignificant," he ordered.

"Well, Lisa and I were downtown, and we wanted to see if there was anything good thrown away in the dumpster behind the old toy place."  
>Mikey began staring at his feet.<p>

"I was about to climb up when these men in black pulled up with a white van. We tried to run away, but Lisa so slow that they got her and threw her in. I know I should have gone back for her but I was too scared...so I came here to try and find you."

"You did the right thing," Sherlock nodded. "It was no good if you got caught as well."

The detective quickly grabbed his phone from his pocket and handed it to the boy.

"Call your mum, get her to come and get you, all of you are to stay at Baker Street tonight, understand?" Sherlock ordered. The boy nodded and took the phone without hesitation.

"How many of them did you say there were again?" Anderson asked as scathingly as he could. Sherlock turned his attention back to the clues spread out over the table.

"I'm going to have to do so much shopping..." John groaned quietly. "At least thirteen extra mouths is gonna put a hole in my wallet, alright."

"I've got to focus. John, take Anderson out of here, he's putting me off," Sherlock growled. Anderson couldn't help but notice his focus had doubled in the minute he learnt one of his own kids had been taken. Sally came with him as John, sighing, took them out of the room, still muttering.

"Gotta keep Natty out of the experiments, don't want her losing her eyebrows again..."

"He really has fourteen kids?" Anderson asked when they left. John nodded, smiling.

"Same mum?" Sally asked. Again, John nodded.

"They are a right menace, I'll tell you that. Once, Nina found my hand gun and decided to see if she could shoot empty bottles like they do in the old Western movies."

John laughed.

"I'm not sure what worried me more, the fact that she got her hands on the gun or the fact that she's a crack shot."

"Fourteen kids...Jesus, hasn't he ever heard of contraception?"

It took John ten minutes to get his composure back. He almost fell on the floor laughing.

...

"Hello, John!" came a happy voice. The trio looked up to see Mira walking down the station hall towards them. John almost lost it. Mira was enjoying messing with the police as much as the Irregulars were and had taken it to a new level. She was dressed in a short black skirt and leopard print singlet with shiny matching heels. The doctor could tell she was only dressing that way to make the police think, "How the hell did Sherlock get a girl like that?"  
>It worked.<br>Anderson practically had to pick his jaw off the floor.

"You are so evil," he whispered as they headed back to the investigation room. Mira grinned.

"I hope Sherlock deduces why I'm dressed like this or we might just shock him for once," she whispered back as they entered the room. John saw the reflection of Sherlock's face watching them from a mirror. Sherlock rolled his eyes. He got it.

"Mum!" Mikey cried, flinging himself into Mira's arms.

God, did these kids take acting lessons or something? How the police didn't see the slight grin on the kid's face, he would never know.

"Don't worry, Lisa will be back before you know it," Mira smiled gently. "Come on, we'll let Dad work it out."

"Gather them all at Baker Street," Sherlock ordered, still studying the same photo. "Make sure to keep them out of my experiments and John's room."

"Will do," she smiled, taking Mikey's hand and leading him out the door. "I'll grab the extra food for them too, so John doesn't have to go broke."  
>John sent her a thankful look. Sherlock held up two CC TV snapshots and started comparing them.<p>

"Thank you, Mira dear," he replied simply, casually, as if he said it all the time. Both John and Mira nearly lost it.

**This is the first two-shot in this story so stay tuned.**

**When I had Sherlock saying "Mira dear" i imagined it sounding a lot like when he said Brother Dear in Hound**


	4. Chapter 4: Kidnapping II

**Picture by Zebraanimator on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 14**

**Nina - 4**

**Emily - 11**

**Mason - 6**

**Riley - 8**

**Sam - 9**

**Natty - 7**

**Halie - 12**

**Marie - 6**

**Dan - 10**

**Ricky - 11**

**Lisa - 5**

**Carlo - 9**

**Mikey - 7**

* * *

><p>John had never felt so worn out in his life.<br>Last night, all fourteen of the Irregulars were stuck inside their flat. Loud, scared, and unsettled, they had all been very happy to sleep on the floor and chairs. It was more comfortable then they were used to. However, getting them to go to sleep was another problem. John had barely slept. Sherlock hadn't slept at all. He'd gotten all the youngest kids to sleep in his bed and then continued to work once they had fallen asleep, leaving the rowdy ones to John.  
>At 9 o'clock in the morning, Sherlock had come bursting out the door of his room, claiming to have solved it. He grabbed his coat with one hand, texting Lestrade with another. John groaned as Sherlock pulled him out the door and into a cab.<p>

"Don't you see?" Sherlock explained. "They take kids because they are easy to frighten, it's easy to make a frightened child obey you, perfect for use in smuggling. I doubt the kids would even know what they're doing."

Sherlock continued to explain about how he'd found their hideout by comparing the photographs and studying the shadows of dirt to find out what they all had in common or some nonsense like that. John was too busy wishing he'd grabbed an aspirin.  
>By the time they got there, the bust had already gone down, much to Sherlock's disappointment. The children were being carried or lead out, away from their captors, who were being pressed up against police cars. John didn't miss how Sherlock's eyes instinctively rushed to the face of every child, checking to see if it was Lisa.<p>

"You look a little worse for wear," Lestrade pointed out, coming to wait with John.

"Fourteen kids in one apartment, it was a nightmare," John groaned. "It's okay when it's just two or three at a time, but all fourteen of them..."

Lestrade laughed and looked as if he were going to reply when a voice cried out.

"Daddy!"

A little dark haired girl broke away from Donovan and raced over to Sherlock, jumping up into his arms and wrapping her own around his neck. John was surprised Sherlock didn't fall over with the force. Instead, he simply returned the gesture, throwing her lightly in the air before embracing the girl again.

"I wish I had that on film" Lestrade said in a hushed voice, sounding both awed and touched. "I'd show it whenever he called himself a sociopath."

Donovan joined them, equally amazed as they listened to the conversation going on between the detective and the little girl in his arms. John knew Donovan and Lestrade were thinking the same thing. The sociopath Sherlock Holmes looked exactly like every other relieved and loving parent collecting his or her kids after this ordeal. You really couldn't tell the difference. You would never think that Sherlock was cold if you'd seen him then.

"I told them all you'd find us," she said matter-of-factly. "Told 'em!"

"Well, next time, try not to give Mikey a heart attack, okay?" Sherlock replied. "Everybody has been worried about you."

"Sorry, Daddy." She smiled as Sherlock's eyes narrowed on a small cut and bruise forming on her face. His eyes danced over all the kidnappers who were being forced into police cars. Walking towards one in particular, he placed Lisa on the ground a few feet away. No doubt the man was wearing the ring that matched the mark left on Lisa's face.

Sherlock didn't say a word, simply walked up to the man and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. When he turned, Sherlock punched him more than hard enough to knock him out. Then he simply walked back to Lisa, checked her face, and scooped her up, walking back over to John.

"Lisa!" Mira called, getting out of the cab that had just arrived. Sherlock gently placed Lisa on the ground, and she ran up to Mira, who hugged her tightly.

"Mummy!" The girl curled up in Mira's arms and she was placed into the cab.

"I'll take her back to Baker Street so she can be with the others," Mira called out before getting back in the cab and driving off.

"Come on, we'd best be off." Sherlock summoned John, hailing a cab and getting inside. After a few minutes of silence, John finally spoke up.

"You love those kids," he said.

Sherlock looked away.

"Sentiment is for fools," he replied. "They are useful and I enjoy their company."

"Yeah, but you also want to protect them." John grinned. "I think you secretly like that they call you Dad, you love them."

...

They couldn't help it. They simply had to see. The minute John and Sherlock left, Lestrade, Donovan and Anderson got in their police car and drove to 221B Baker Street. Arriving a few minutes after Sherlock and John, due to the traffic, the three let themselves in. They could hear many loud voices. John's rose above all others, and the calm voice of Sherlock intervened occasionally.

"Natty, I swear to God, if you don't stop messing with those chemicals, I'll have to tie you to the chair!"

"Let her be John, she's not stupid."

"She almost burnt the kitchen down and—Nina, that is not a toy, put it down!"

"Don't worry, it's full of blanks."

"She shouldn't have it anywa—Mikey, how did you get on the ceiling fan!"

"John, would you please stop Mason? He's about to swallow a strip of magnesium."

"Joseph, give me a hand!"

The members of Scotland Yard opened the door to the living room.  
>It was complete chaos.<br>Sherlock sat at his desk, typing away, while John ran from one side of the room to the other, trying to control the fourteen children who were running wild. Unlike John, Sherlock was completely calm. When a girl who couldn't be older than five ran past him with a beaker full of fizzing liquid, he simply took it out of her hand and replaced it with a book before she could even notice.

"Can't you all just sit still for five minutes?" John yelled desperately.

"Big mistake..." Sherlock sighed.

"Make us, Uncle John!" came the cry of fourteen children who immediately began to run around at twice the pace, daring John to catch them.

The doctor blinked and finally just collapsed on the floor with a groan of frustration.

"Holy hell," Anderson finally gasped. The whole room froze. All eyes focused on the new voice.

"Anderson, you're now officially their babysitter," John declared. "I've been trying to get them to stay still for days."

"Why's the fuzz here?" Sam asked, as the three policemen entered the room. Sherlock looked up from his computer and grinned.

"You said it yourself John, Anderson is the new babysitter." He smiled.

"Kids, I will give a whole packet of lollies to each of you if you can dog pile him."

Anderson didn't even have a chance.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey Sorry I hate auhor notes I know but this is importat**

**I never thought this would be so popular but I ind myself at a loss for new chapters sooo...**

**Prompts! Send me anything you think could inspire a story whether its word or an actual fully formed idea**

**I really wanna write more but my tanks running on empty!**


	6. Chapter 6: Moriarty

**Picture by Zebraanimator on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 14**

**Nina - 4**

**Emily - 11**

**Mason - 6**

**Riley - 8**

**Sam - 9**

**Natty - 7**

**Halie - 12**

**Marie - 6**

**Dan - 10**

**Ricky - 11**

**Lisa - 5**

**Carlo - 9**

**Mikey - 7**

* * *

><p>"So, what's the emergency?" Sherlock asked, entering the station. A red faced John was right behind him, still trying to catch his breath. They had been forced to run the whole way when Sherlock had received a text about an emergency at the station.<br>The whole room seemed to look at the pair with the highest sympathies. John grew suspicious. Lestrade waved them over to the computer screen, holding up a silver disk with the word "Sherlock" written across it in looped letters.

"We got this a little while ago. We watched it, and, well..." Lestrade trailed off.

Sherlock's eyes narrowed, his brain going into overdrive.

"Well, play it," John said. No point in beating around the bush, after all.

Lestrade swallowed and placed the disk in the drive. After a few seconds of whirring, a video popped up on the screen with a grinning face in the middle.  
>"Moriarty." Sherlock smiled.<p>

"Hello!" came the man's sing-song voice. "How are you all?"

"I suppose you are wondering what this latest little puzzle is. Well, it's a beauty, I'll tell you that much! But first, I have to say Sherlock, I'm a little disappointed. I'd never peg you as the—caring type."

Moriarty stepped to the side to reveal Sam and Nina both standing, shaking with two sniper scopes on each of their heads. They both blinked back tears.  
>"It's simple, really, this video should be enough. Find me and the little ones in four hours, and they don't get their heads blown in. Simple, yet so fun!"<br>The man's eyes gleamed.

"Good luuuuuuuuck!"

The video shut off, leaving the room painfully silent. Though he looked the picture of calmness, John could practically hear Sherlock's brain going into overdrive, a slight amount of panic in his eyes.

"When did you receive this?" he asked quickly, taking Lestrade by surprise. "Exactly how long ago was this video delivered? How did it get here? When and where did you find it?"

"Um, about half an hour ago, it was sitting on my desk, the camera shorted out, we don't know how it got there," Lestrade fumbled much to Sherlock's chagrin.

The detective quickly began to pace, eyes squeezed shut, muttering under his breath, no doubt replaying and studying the tape in his mind.

"Sam delivered it," He deduced after a few minutes. "Moriarty would have told him it was some kind of prank, shorted out the cameras. Sam's small, he could sneak past you all easily. After he left, Moriarty took him." He nodded in satisfaction.

"That room was concrete, grey, poured," he continued, not really talking to anybody. "Warehouse, but where and which one..."

"Sherlock, you need to calm down," John tried. Sherlock ignored him. "Sherlock!"

"No time!" he yelled back before stopping and turning. "Play the part when he shows them again!"

John fast forwarded the clip to show the two children, eyes close to tears as they bravely blinked them back.

"Poor things, look at them, almost in tears," Lestrade sighed.

"No."

Sherlock grinned manically.

"They are not crying, they're being smart!"

"What?" Donovan cut in, looking confused.

"Morse code, blinking with their eyes!" Sherlock explained, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I taught them that in case they were in trouble like this."

"Fantastic," John breathed, watching the blinking and translating it onto paper and holding it up. His heart sunk when he realized it didn't make much sense.

Nina: Station back  
>Sam: L R R L R L R S L S R S<p>

"Looks like they need more lessons," Sally noted. Sherlock rolled his eyes.

"Look, 'Station back', Nina is saying they were taken from the back of the station," Sherlock translated. "Sam is then saying that from the station, they went left, right, right, left, right, left, right, straight, left, straight, right, straight."

"They told you where they are!"

John grinned, those kids were brilliant!  
>Sherlock ignored him and was rifling through maps of London and quickly marking out the road. According to Sam, they were at the docks. There were seven warehouses at those docks but it was of little matter. Sherlock would find the right one.<p>

...

As predicted, it had taken Sherlock a matter of minutes to find the right warehouse. He burst through the doors to see Sam and Nina standing on the lower level, sniper scopes coming from the upper floor, their gunmen hidden in the shadows.

"Dad!" They started to move.

"Stay still!" Sherlock ordered. "Don't move a muscle."

"Good, very good!" Moriarty smiled from his place on the landing above them. John glared at the man. Attacking children, did he have no shame?

"Now for the fun part." The dark suited man grinned. "Choose."

"What do you mean, 'choose'?" Sherlock asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Which one? You can pick Nina, or Sam. The other gets shot," Moriarty explained. John hissed.

"They are just kids!" he yelled.

"Oh, and don't do that 'let them both go and take me' option," Moriarty drawled, ignoring John's outburst. "I rather like having you around, you're a good plaything."

Sherlock stood silently for a minute before letting his gaze fall to the floor.

"Let me say goodbye," he half ordered, half asked. Moriarty nodded.

"All righty," he answered. "If you must."

"Sherlock, you can't be serious..." John gaped. Sherlock walked forwards, the two scared children looking up at him.

"I know you're scared," he hushed. "But don't worry, everything will be alright, I promise."

The second he said it, he pushed Sam behind a metal drum, out of the way of the sniper scope. The detective then wrapped himself around Nina protectively. John understood the plan immediately and turned, drawing his own gun and firing at where the lights originated. He was fast enough to hit the first man, but the other fired a fraction of a second before John could take him down.

Sam and Nina screamed.

John turned, ready to aim his gun at Moriarty, but the man was gone. Normally, the doctor would have run up there to look for him, but Nina and Sam were crying pitifully and he had to tend to them. He ran over, expecting to see Nina or Sam injured.  
>What he hadn't factored in was Sherlock blocking the bullet, with his body.<p>

Sam and Nina were terrified, and Sherlock hauled himself into a siting position, hand covering the wound on his stomach.

"Don't move," John ordered, as he forced Sherlock's hands away so he could look at the bullet wound.

"I-I'm fine," Sherlock groaned. "Nina, Sam...go find Lestrade."

The two kids were gone in a flash. John had never seen the Irregulars so frightened.

"That was stupid," John stated as he ripped Sherlock's scarf from his neck and pressed it to the wound.

"It was the only…way—" Sherlock began to falter.

"Oh no you don't, stay awake," John ordered, his hands starting to shake lightly.

"I'll—try…"

...  
>"He was lucky," The doctor sighed to Lestrade and John. "No major organs hit, so once he's recovered from the blood loss and the stitches, he should be fine."<p>

"The kids?" John asked.

"Both fine, simply concerned for their father," the doctor answered. "He's asleep at the moment, but you can see him."

"He hates hospitals," John groaned. "When he wakes up..."

Lestrade laughed, opening the door to Sherlock's room. The two men stood and stared for a while, Lestrade in shock and John with pride.  
>Sherlock was indeed asleep, but with two small children curled up at his side, one under each arm.<p> 


	7. Chapter 7: Lullaby

**Picture by Zebraanimator on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 14**

**Nina - 4**

**Emily - 11**

**Mason - 6**

**Riley - 8**

**Sam - 9**

**Natty - 7**

**Halie - 12**

**Marie - 6**

**Dan - 10**

**Ricky - 11**

**Lisa - 5**

**Carlo - 9**

**Mikey - 7**

* * *

><p>"This cannot be happening," Donovan groaned, looking at the fourteen pairs of eyes staring back at her through the dark of the station.<p>

"It's hardly our fault," Riley piped up. "How were we to know the station goes into overnight lockdown if you accidentally open the biohazard centre?"

"It's a little bit obvious," Anderson replied dryly.

"Oh, give them a break, they're just kids," Mira sighed.

Mira had brought all the children over when she had found them pick pocketing at the train station. It was late and only Anderson, Donovan, Lestrade, Sherlock, and John were inside the police station. Unfortunately, Halie had opened the biohazard container and gotten them all stuck in overnight lockdown. Sherlock had done tests on all of them and, luckily, nobody was infected with anything. However, that didn't mean they were going anywhere soon.

"Why can't we turn the light on?" Emily asked. "It's too dark."

"I can't find the switch," John groaned.

"No matter," Mira sighed. "It's late, you should all be asleep by now anyway."

"I'm a night owl," Ricky replied. "Like dad!"

"None of you are getting his sleeping habits, I forbid it," Mira growled. "You see what you do to them?"

"Don't blame me," Sherlock shrugged. "I'm hardly encouraging it."

"Ms. Anderson, what's this?" Carlo asked, holding up a packet of tampons he'd found in her drawers.

"None of your business!" she hissed, snatching away the package. "And it's Donovan, he's Anderson!"

"I know, but you guys are totally sleeping together," Carlo replied smugly, much to John's amusement.

"How old is this kid?" Anderson asked.

"Nine," John smirked.

"Smarter than you already," Sherlock drawled. "That can't be good for your ego."

"I am seriously gonna punch him!" Anderson yelled, only to be tackled by several protective children. John, Lestrade, and Mira burst into laughter.

"I'd like to see you try," Lestrade said through giggles.

"Come on, all of you, sleeping," Mira ordered.

Lestrade had found some blankets hauled away in a cupboard and handed them out earlier. Actually getting the kids to sleep was another thing.

"Go on," Sherlock ordered. "At least sit still."

Moaning, the kids settled under their blankets, all wide-eyed and completely awake. The silence didn't last long.

"This is boring," Emily whined.

"Yeah," Several of the kids replied.

"Sleepless sailor!" Marie sat up, eyes gleaming.

"Sleepless what?" Donovan and Anderson asked at the same time. The kids ignored them.

"Sleepless Sailor, pleeeeease?" the children begged, much to the confusion of all save Mira and Sherlock.

"Alright, alright, but only if you promise to go to sleep after," Mira laughed, tucking Marie in as well as she could. "Dad doesn't have his violin, so you will just have to manage, okay?"

"Okay," they all chimed, then to the surprise of all the adults but Sherlock, Mira began to sing.

_I once was a sailor, a young man and brave_  
><em>Da da dum, da da dum dee<em>  
><em>My nights were once sleepless,<em>  
><em>My peace I would crave<em>  
><em>Carry me home to the sea<em>  
><em>Da da dum day, da da dum dee<em>  
><em>Drift away sailor boys on the deep sea<em>  
><em>Worry no more for you're safe now with me<em>  
><em>Rest in my arms and my sweet melody<em>

Sherlock watched as the kids slowly closed their eyes, relaxing as they listened to Mira start the next verse. The detective himself closed his eyes, leaning back against the table he was currently sitting beside. Everybody was enjoying the song, but all adults in the room nearly fell over with shock when Sherlock joined in the third verse with Mira.

_Da da dum day, da da dum dee_  
><em>Drift away sailor boys on the deep sea<em>  
><em>Worry no more for you're safe now with me<em>  
><em>Rest in my arms and my sweet melody<em>  
><em>Oh rock me so gently now ocean so deep<em>  
><em>Da da dum, da da dum dee<em>  
><em>I wish I was back, cause I think I can't sleep<em>  
><em>Carry me home to the sea<em>  
><em>Da da dum day, da da dum dee<em>  
><em>Drift away sailor boys on the deep sea<em>  
><em>Worry no more for you're safe now with me<em>  
><em>Rest in my arms and my sweet melody<em>

By the end of the song, all the kids were asleep, much to the adults' relief. Sherlock and Mira seemed proud.

"I'm glad that worked without the violin," she whispered quietly. Sherlock nodded in agreement.

The rest of them just gaped. Sherlock rolled his eyes.

"Oh shut up," he hissed. "If any of you filmed that, I will frame you for murder, I swear!"

**This was sent to me as a prompt but in all honestly I have had this one planed for a while, I never published it cause I thought people might see it as too OOC.**

**The song is Sleepless Sailor by Kate Rusby. I picked it because its initially sung by a woman but a man joins her after the second verse I think it is. The voice sounds like it could be Sherlock so thats why I picked it.**

**If you wanna know what the lullaby sounded like then Mira and Sherlock sung it just search Sleepless Sailor - Kate Rusby, into youtube**


	8. Chapter 8: Sam

**Picture by Zebraanimator on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 14**

**Nina - 4**

**Emily - 11**

**Mason - 6**

**Riley - 8**

**Sam - 9**

**Natty - 7**

**Halie - 12**

**Marie - 6**

**Dan - 10**

**Ricky - 11**

**Lisa - 5**

**Carlo - 9**

**Mikey - 7**

* * *

><p>John was about to return home after a less than successful date with Sarah when he ran into Lestrade.<p>

"New case?" John asked. "Or updates?"

"Updates, found some more soil samples."

Lestrade sighed. They had been trying to catch this serial killer for the past week and even Sherlock was on his last legs, actually admitting to hunger and eating a full meal two days ago, something he never did while on a case. The two entered 221B Baker Street to hear raised voices at the top of the stairs. One was Sherlock's, the other was a child's.

"For the thousandth time, no, Sam!" Sherlock's voice echoed down the stairs.

"But I can help! You let me help before!"

"This is too dangerous! Now go home!"

"It's not fair!"

"I told you, no!"

"I want to help catch the murderer!"

"Sam, you are only a child!"

"But Dad—"

"Go home!"

The door opened and slammed shut, revealing a red-faced Sam at the top of the stairs. He jumped down them, ready to speed out the door, and would have left immediately were it not for John's quick reflexes.

"Sam, what's going on?" John asked, grabbing the boy by the arm.

"Dad won't let me help. Tell him to let me help, Uncle John!" he demanded. "I want to help catch the murderer."

"Sam, you're nine years old," John argued. "You can't go running after serial killers. Your dad lets you help on cases that are safe, but this one isn't."

"How will I ever be a consulting detective if he never lets me help?" Sam whined.

"You're going to be a consulting detective?" Lestrade asked. Grinning, Sam nodded, making his brown curls bob over his face. Now that John looked, Sam did resemble Sherlock a bit. He had the same curly hair, even if it was the wrong colour, and he had the same eyes. Sam had been an Irregular since he was five. Sherlock had found him in a dumpster looking for food after his parents abandoned him. He had always looked up to Sherlock, more so than the other kids.  
>Sam shook off John's grip and bolted out the door. John groaned. Sherlock was going to be in such a bad mood.<p>

...

As always, Sherlock had somehow magically translated dirt into a map and found where the killer was.

"Jason Roger! The brother of the first victim!" Sherlock claimed, excited, as they drove to the house of the next victim Sherlock had predicted. "He's lost it! How did we not see it? All those people were members of his AA group who fell back into bad habits. He's punishing them!"

"By shooting them?" John gaped.

"He's a psychopath, John." Sherlock rolled his eyes, exiting the cab.

"Is he on the roof?" Lestrade asked, pointing to the figure up on the top floor of the apartment building. He was yelling at somebody.

"He must have chased the next victim up there!" Sherlock exclaimed, taking off once more, up the fire escape stairs. Lestrade and John followed after. Sherlock reached the roof first, fully intending to see Jason Roger aiming at his AA partner Alex Mason, but what he saw instead made his guts clench.  
>Sam. Sam was standing across the roof with Jason Roger.<br>It didn't take Sherlock long to deduce what had happened. Sam had listened in on the conversation and managed to get here before him by car hopping. Car hopping was another practice Sherlock didn't like. They would just up and ride on the backs of the cars and taxis until the vehicles stopped, they reached their destination, or they were noticed. Sam must have gotten here a few minutes ago and confronted the man.

Stupid.

"See, you're busted!" Sam grinned. "I told you the police were coming!"

"Sam what the hell—" John started, but he never got the chance to finish as a shot rang out. Sam dodged, masterfully grabbing the gun from the man and flinging it across the roof and onto the ground where Lestrade picked it up. Sherlock breathed a tiny sigh of relief.

"Best you come with us," he said calmly. "Sam, come away from him."

Oh, if only Sam had just listened to him. Sam was just a kid; he was only nine years old. He didn't understand death yet. He thought he was immortal, especially if Sherlock was there.  
>Sam did start towards Sherlock, but he gave Roger a smug grin as he did so, making a fake gun out of his fingers and stopping just a few steps from him. He faked a gun shot.<p>

"Gotcha!" he teased. Roger growled.

"Shut it, ya brat!" he yelled. Sam just stuck his tongue out.

"Stop it, Sam, come here now!" John yelled. Roger grinned and grabbed the boy by his collar. Sam's eyes grew wide with shock. Roger sneered at his expression before throwing the boy to the side.

—And straight off the side of the building.

"SAM!" Sherlock bellowed. He felt his stomach drop just as Sam did. Sherlock didn't bother with Roger. As he turned he saw John and Lestrade tackle him easily, but he had no time for that. He flew down the fire escape in half the time it took to scale it before rounding the corner and seeing the boy lying on the ground.  
>Sherlock skidded to a halt at Sam's side and carefully gathered the boy up in his lap. His head was bleeding awfully. The building wasn't too high, not high enough so that Sam had died on impact, but high enough that his death was inevitable in the next few minutes.<p>

"Dad?" he asked shakily, looking up at him with wide, frightened eyes.

"Shhhh, Sam, I'm here." He tried, pathetically, to calm the boy.

"I- I'm sorry," Sam trembled. "I j-just w-want-ted to be l-like you..."

"I know, I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"It's o-okay, I'm k-kinda a brat," he said, laughing weakly.

"Yeah, but you're my brat," Sherlock replied fondly. Sam smiled weakly before letting his eyes flutter closed. His heart stopped, and so did Sherlock's.

_"What are you doing in there?" Sherlock asked. A skinny, curly haired little boy looked out of the dumpster._

_"I'm hungry," he replied._

_"A dumpster is no place to eat," Sherlock sighed._

_"Well unlike you, I ain't got no money," the kid growled._

_"You haven't got any money," Sherlock corrected before reaching into his pocket and drawing out an apple. "Here, this is better than anything you will find in there."_

_The boy took the apple and wolfed it down in a few moments._

_"Come, I know where I can get you some more food," Sherlock offered, picking the boy out of the dumpster and putting him at his feet. "My name is Sherlock Holmes."_

_"I'm Sam," Sam replied. "You ain't a social worker are you?"_

_"I am not," Sherlock sighed, ignoring the boy's bad grammar. "I'm a consulting detective."_

_"What's that?"_

_"It means I solve crimes and I tell the police what to do."_

_"Then I'll be one too!" Sam grinned. "I'd love to tell the police what to do!"_

**I CANT BELIEVE I JUST DID THAT!**

**This story will continue if people respond to it.**


	9. Chapter 9: Sam II

**Dont kill meeeeeee! I'm a h/c freak so when CrimsonKitsune333**** suggested it to me I couldn't resist**

John and Lestrade made their way down the fire escape, a now very unconscious and beaten gunman in tow. Lestrade quickly handed off the heavy man to his men who were arriving, Anderson looked confused when he saw how badly beaten he was.

"Geez did he attack you or something?" Anderson asked, examining the bruises, John shook his head and went around to the other side of the building where Sam had been thrown. Lestrade and Anderson followed his eye line to where they could see Sherlock hunched on the ground.

"Don't you dare make any sort of comment" Lestrade threatened as he got up to follow John. As they approached Sherlock stood and turned toward them however his eyes were on the small figure he'd gathered up in his arms. Sam.

"I'm sorry Sherlock" Lestrade said finally, he knew the detective wouldn't want pity but he couldn't help but feel enormous amount of sympathy for the grieving father.

Sherlock walked right past him; by now the rest of the police team had seen what had happened, those who did quickly filled those who didn't know in on who the little boy was. John shot Lestrade a look before walking out of the crime scene with the detective, the inspector didn't know where they were going but he sure as hell wasn't going to stop them.

…

Mycroft paid and organised a funeral for Sam, Sherlock had practically begged him to, that in itself showed them the state of the detectives nerves. Mycroft complied, the funeral party was small, Mira, Sherlock, John, Lestrade and of course the other thirteen Irregulars. The kids all clung to one another in one way or another; they all seemed to combine together into one huge being. They clung to their 'parents' as well. Grabbing their coats or arms. John and Lestrade were the only ones who weren't part of the huge huddle. The tombstone was simple, no dates or message just a name.

Sam Holmes

John could almost feel the unbearable guilt radiating off the detective, he had insisted on legally changing Sam's name to Holmes. Sam had hated his parents, hence his last name, he never even told John what it was. Holmes suited him better anyway. The remaining Irregulars had crashed at Baker Street for the last few Days, Mira as well. It had been very crowded and expensive, especially when it came to food.

For some reason however, John found however much he spent on caring for Sherlock and the rest of his strange family, the exact same amount was deposited into his account a few minutes later by an unknown supplier. It had Mycroft written all over it, almost literally.

The kids healed within the next few weeks and returned to normal. They were children, they always managed to adapt better to death, they didn't quite understand it. They all missed Sam terribly but they did heal. Mira took longer, however she had the support in knowing that the other thirteen Irregulars needed her and after a few months she too was back to herself. Sherlock was not. If John hadn't been at his side almost 24/7 since Sam's death he had no doubt Sherlock would have been higher than a kite in no time. He worked through cases with a fine tooth comb, getting every detail, making sure he didn't make a single mistake. When he didn't have a case he laid out on the couch and didn't move for hours on end. Just stared at the ceiling or floor with empty eyes. John was guilty to admit he even considered leaving the house for a few hours to give Sherlock to opportunity to get out his needles, just so he could escape his guilt for a while. He knew he couldn't though.

The man who had killed Sam disappeared. Again, John suspected Mycroft's influence but once again didn't care. Nobody knew where he was, all history of him was gone. It was as if he never existed. John mused about this as he laid in bed, trying to sleep but failing.

"Uncle John?"

John's eyes hot open to see Natty standing at the side of his bed, her frizzy blonde hair almost glowed in the dark.

"Natty, what are you doing here?" He asked rubbing his eyes, Natty looked confused.

"It's my turn" She shrugged, "We are all taking turns looking after Daddy"

That explained the soft voices he had been hearing lately, he assumed it was Sherlock watching tv.

"Why are you here then?" John asked again, Natty bit her lip.

"Daddy was crying" She said finally, "He never cries"

John felt his guts twist.

"I'll take care of it Natty, why don't you sleep here?" He offered getting out of bed and putting on his jumper over his pyjamas. Natty yawned and curled up under the blankets easily. It wasn't every day an Irregular got to sleep in a proper bed.

John went down stairs and knocked on Sherlock's door before entering. He was sitting on the bed with a large amount of paper work in front of him. His face was dry but his eyes were red.

"There wasn't anything you could of done you know" John said after a while, "You can't keep blaming yourself"

"Shut up John" Sherlock replied sharply as he continued to work through what appeared to be long cold cases.

"Sam didn't blame you" John tried, Sherlock bit back almost immediately

"You don't know that for sure"

"But you do, deep down"

Sherlock looked away and nodded after a few seconds, it wouldn't be much if it was anybody else but with Sherlock it was practically a break down.

The next few months passed slowly and Sherlock got better. He visited Sam once a week still but he finally stopped brooding. He started to enjoy cases again,

somewhere in the world of spirits Sam Holmes smiled.


	10. Chapter 10: The Woman

**After the sadness of the last chapter I decided to go with a more light hearted humours one ****J**

Lestrade was sitting on the couch on 221b, Sherlock was tapping away at his computer and John was sitting in his usual armchair keeping two of the kids entertained with war stories. Joseph and Mickey lapped up every word, Lestrade chuckled. It was nice being able to hang around the flat without the pressure of a case, Mrs. Hudson had been with them until recently when her hip started playing up and she had gone back to her own flat. Lestrade had been about to get up when he felt two small hands plant themselves on his shoulder.

"Uncle Lestrade" It was Natty, The inspector was shocked into silence, something that seemed to happen when Sherlock's kids were around. Since when was he Uncle Lestrade He could have been wrong but he was sure he saw Sherlock smile.

"Uh, yeah?"

"What's a dominatrix?"

John, who had just taken a swing of tea, immediately sprayed it out in front of him in shock from the question. It took a few coughs to clear his throat.

"Really John, its going to take you a long time to get that tea out of the carpet" Sherlock sighed, apparently ignoring Natty's question.

"Where did you hear that word?" Lestrade asked, eyeing John, "Have you been on John's blog?"

"Like I'd let them read that one" John scoffed getting a cloth to clear up the spill, dodging his way around the laughing boys.

"Aunty Irene says that's what she is" Natty explained, "But daddy won't tell us what she means"

"Aunty…Irene?" John said slowly'

"Natty…" Sherlock scolded

"Oops" Natty blushed covering her mouth.

"What the hell do they mean? Aunty Irene" john asked Sherlock slowly, Sherlock continued to type.

"Way to go Natty" Mikey scoffed

"I knew she'd be the one to slip up" Joseph sighed, "Now Uncle John's gonna blow a gasket"

"Sherlock what are they talking about, Aunty Irene?" John repeated, Sherlock sighed and closed his laptop, obviously admitting defeat. He waved a hand at Natty.

"Aunty Irene is Daddy's friend" Natty explained, "She visits every now and then, some times Dad goes and visits her but we were supposed to keep it a secret cause she's supposed to be dead…"

"Really?" Lestrade grumbled, shooting Sherlock a glance, "And what exactly do they do?"

"Sit and talk" Natty shrugged, "She likes us"

"She keeps asking dad to dinner too but he never goes" Joe added, Lestrade was sure he saw Sherlock blush slighty.

"Why does she keep doing that dad?" Mikey asked, Sherlock shook his head.

"When Irene says dinner she doesn't mean dinner' Sherlock sighed, the kids all shared a confused look.

"Why would she say dinner if she doesn't mean dinner?" Natty asked

"I'll explain when your older" Sherlock muttered, covering his eyes.

"kids, I think you should leave" Lestrade suggested, hands curling into fists, John nodded. The three children filled out the door, which John closed before both of them turned to Sherlock who was now looking out the window looking vaguely uncomfortable.

"You realise they are still listen through the door right?" Sherlock drawled, the other two men ignored it.

"She was dead!" John exclaimed, "Mycroft said so himself, he said it would of taken Sherlock Holmes to fool-"

He stopped mid sentence.

"You. You helped her fake her death a second time?" Lestrade guessed, Sherlock nodded.

"Why didn't you say anything!" John growled

"It wasn't important, like they said, she visits occasionally that's all" Sherlock defended, "She is rather fond of Natty, bought her that scarf she's wearing"

"Dad?"

"Not now Natty" John answered for him

"But Uncle-"

"He said not now" Lestrade intervened

"But I really think-"

Lestrade sighed opening the door to tell the kids to go back to their mums house so they could yell at Sherlock when he stopped, standing in the doorway was not only the kids, but a woman.

"Aunty Irene's here" Mikey finished

"Hello dears" She greeted pushing past Lestrade and sitting down in Sherlock's armchair, "Hello Sherlock dear"

"Irene" Sherlock nodded, ghost of smile on his face.

"I heard that our little secret was busted so I figured there was no point in waiting until those two left" She smiled, "Now, how are you all"

"Hiya Aunty Irene!" Natty jumped up onto her chair and immediately began chatting away with the woman.

"Where have you been this time Irene?" Sherlock asked, re opening his laptop. Irene started off on a long story about various places and people in France and what they 'liked'. Half of the conversation went over the heads of the kids, Lestrade looked at John. He had the same expression of shock and confusion he had. He couldn't believe this.

"So, you just casually come here every few months, to ask Sherlock to dinner?" John said finally, Irene nodded.

"I usually drug you so you sleep through it" She grinned, "Don't worry you don't even notice"

"Don't blame me, she never tells me" Sherlock scowled, "Otherwise I'd make sure you were somewhere else"

"We think its funny" Mikey giggled

"They are on their way to being the perfect little devils" Irene grinned, ruffling the kids hair

"Please stop corrupting them Irene" Sherlock sighed, "The last thing I want is Natty following your career choice"

"But I don't even know what dominatrix is yet!" Natty whined

"It means that I-"

John quickly clamped a hand over her mouth much to everybody's universal surprise.

"No Irene, just no" He replied


	11. Chapter 11: Looking After John

Prompt: Anonymous

John felt awful, a terrible flu had been going around lately and he had obviously caught it at the clinic. He groaned, he felt completely sick, why couldn't Sherlock be here? Then again that might be worse, last time John had been sick Sherlock had not only severely over reacted, but he had been completely hopeless as to what he was supposed to do.

John kept his eyes closed, he felt woozy and nauseous, part of his brain told him he had a fever but he was too busy concentrating on how miserable he was. Suddenly, his brow felt much much, cooler. Cracking open his eyes he saw a blurred face, adjusting a cool cloth on his forehead.

"Uncle John?"

One of the Irregulars then.

"Hey Uncle John! Wake up!" It was Nina

"Nina...'m awake" He muttered blinking his eyes open, revealing Natty as well.

"Your real sick" Natty said, John would of chuckled if he had the energy.

"Whadda we give ya?" Natty continued holding up his medibag. Once he was more lucid he would wonder how the hell Natty had managed to get it out of his cupboard without the key.

"Just flu tablets" He muttered, "Red ones in the blue box"

"These?" Nina asked holding up the box, John nodded, immediately regretting the action as his head gave a sharp stab of pain.

He was vaguely aware of Natty putting the pills in his mouth and leaning him forward to swallow them with some water before falling into unconsciousness.

...

"Is he asleep?" Nina asked, Natty nodded

"I hope we gave him the right pills" She mused biting her lip, "What if he got it wrong?"

"Uncle John's a doctor, he wouldn't get it wrong" Nina said confidently before turning to Natty, "Now what?"

"Well, we can't just leave him" Natty mused, "Maybe we should find dad"

"Daddy will know what to do" Nina smiled, "I'll stay"

"Dad says your not supposed to be alone yet" Natty argued, "Your only four"

Nina pouted, "I'm staying with Uncle John, I'm safe"

Natty left after that, leaving the young Nina alone with her sleeping uncle, Nina liked Uncle John a lot, he reminded her of her dad, her first dad. After a while she climbed up on the bed and curled up next to him, he blinked his eyes open.

"How ya feeling Uncle John?" She asked

"Better..." He muttered taking the now dry cloth off his head, "Where's Natty?"

"She went to find Daddy" Nina replied, "I stayed to look after you"

"Thanks" He yawned sitting up, "The fevers gone down, but I don't think I'll be going anywhere"

"One time I got sick and Daddy had to take care of me, my nose was all stuffed" Nina chatted, "Is yours stuffed?"

"yeah, Sherlock cared for you?" John seemed disbelieving, Nina nodded

"Uh-huh, He found me after my parents threw me out last year and took me home" She smiled, "He showed me the Irregulars and told me bout em so I decided to stay"

Nina curled up at the foot of the bed like a cat, snuggling into the blanket as she spoke. John settled back into his pillows once more.

"Why don't you tell me the story?" He suggested, "Distract me from this awful cold"

_Nina was cold. It was raining and so, with no better ideas, had huddled under a window sill. She hated her dad's new girlfriend, she'd made him get rid of her, dad hadn't minded, she looked too much like mummy and dad hated her now. He had called her many things Nina didn't understand, yelling that she'd had something called an affair and didn't want them anymore. So now she was stuck on the streets. Dad had just left her here in this dark shady part of town. She had tried getting help but the people here carried guns and knives, they frightened her. She wished she knew the way to the people with badges that helped, she was only three, she couldn't even remember the word for them et along find them. _

_"You're getting soaked"_

_Nina looked up to see a very tall man in a black coat standing over her, she whimpered, he mans face softened slightly as he knelt down and covered her with his coat. _

_"This isn't a place for children" He continued, "Where is your family?"_

_"They threw me out!" She wailed, "Daddy doesn't want me no more" _

_"Anymore" The man corrected picking up the little bundle of cloth Nina was located in. _

_"I'm Sherlock Holmes" He continued as he carried her_

_"I'm Nina" he replied, "Where are we going?"_

_"Home, I can see you developing the first signs of a cold" Sherlock replied, Nina smiled. Sherlock hailed a taxi and hopped inside._

_"221b Baker street, quickly if you can my daughter need to get to bed" he said throwing a bunch of notes at the man. Nina liked Sherlock. _

_When she woke up she was in a warm place, Sherlock was putting ll kinds of coloured things into a glass under a strange candle, he told her about foster and adoption first. Nina didn't like the sound of that. Then he introduced her to a bunch of other kids, saying these were his 'family', he'd found them all just like her and that she could be part of the little group. She chose that. _


	12. Chapter 12: Natty Can't Swim

**This is a shortish one, not quite a drabble but not very long I couldn't figure out how to expand it so its a shorty**

"See if you had listened to Dad, we could of finished this hours ago" Carlo pointed out, Natty nodding.

"Be quiet" Anderson grumbled

"Dad said check to the docks and now we are at the docks we find the drugs" Natty continued, "If you hadn't been so stubborn we could of come here when it was actually light out"

"Nobody said you kids had to come" Anderson snapped, "It's almost midnight, you should be at home"

"We were the ones who got you guys this info" Carlo snarled

Lestrade sighed, Sherlock and John were currently inside the building helping with the bust while the kids, who had followed them here, waited outside on their fathers orders. The docks were cold that night but it didn't bother Carlo or Natty one bit.

"Yeah so shut it Anderson" Natty stuck her tongue out, Anderson gave her a shove , sending her stumbling back and over the edge of the dock into the water.

"NAtty!" Carlo yelled

"Relax, the waters deep and clear she won't hit her head" Anderson muttered, "She'll be able to swim to the ladder in no time"

"Anderson!" Lestrade scolded, "You can't go pushing kids off the docks!"

"I didn't mean to" He replied honestly but he didn't seem to care.

"What's going on?" John asked as Sherlock and he returned, the detectives eyes knitted together when he saw Carlo alone with no Natty in sight.

"Andeson pushed Natty in the water!" Carlo cried looking worried, seriously what is with this kid, worst case scenario the girl gets a cold big deal. He was expecting a scathing comment from the freak, instead much to his surprise he said nothing, but flung off his black coat and dove straight into the black water. John grabbed the coat from the air.

"What the-" Anderson started

"Natty can't swim!" John bellowed his face turning an angry red and he glared at Anderson.

"Oh" Was all he managed to get out Sure he hated the little brats but he didn't mean to drown her. John looked as if he was about to punch him when the sound of gasping came from below them.

Sherlock had one arm around Natty who was coughing up the water she swallowed, using the other to swim to the ladder and somehow managed to climb in using only one hand. Gently he placed Natty down on the ground, she wrapped her arms around herself shivering as she walked behind the freak, shooting Anderson a withering look.

"John, my coat" Sherlock asked, grabbing it and wrapping it round the soaking little girl. It looked quite comical really, Natty was hardly visible in the tall mans coat, but she stopped shivering all the same. Sherlock then turned to Anderson.

"Oh dear" John whispered, "Thats the same look he gave that kidnapper when Lisa-"

John never finished the sentence because by then Sherlock's fist had already connected with Anderson's nose with a satisfying spray of blood. Anderson unsuccessfully tried to cuff the detective back he seemed to loose interest.

He scooped the mass of coat that was Natty up into his arms and signaled for Carlo to follow.

"Come on John, Mira will kill me when she sees Natty in this state"

**I really liked the character of Natty, I imagine her as a blonde curly haired tom boyish girl. **


	13. Chapter 13: Gladstone

"Sherlock this is really going too far!" Lestrade yelled pointing at the two children, Joe and Emily.

"It's not as if I put them in a gun fight" Sherlock sighed

"Your kids can't keep appearing on our cases!" Lestrade bellowed, :Their kids! They could get hurt! I can't believe you sent them to do recon on a bunch of smugglers!"

"Nobody suspects children playing in the street to be informants" Sherlock pointed out before turning to Emily, "Where is Marie?"

"What did you loose one?" Sally smirked, "Only just noticed did you"

"All I'm saying is you seem to care about them, yet you go and do something like this!" Lestrade continued

"It's not like we don't have protection" Jo piped up

"Oh god" John groaned, "Sherlock if you gave them guns or knives..."

"I did no such thing" Sherlock snapped looking slightly offended

"Then what's there protection?" Sally asked looking genuinely interested

"Gladstone" Sherlock replied, "I send him to watch them when they are in a potentially dangerous situation"

"Yeah, Marie is with him now" Emily mentioned

"Hi Daddy!"

"Marie" Sherlock greeted as the tiny girl ran up and wrapped her arms around the mans legs for a moment, Sherlock patted her on the head.

"So where's this Gladstone then?" Lestrade asked, Marie whistled.

The police all turned at the sound of vicious growling. There at the end of the alleyway, stood the biggest Rottweiler Lestrade had ever seen. The thing was immense, with slightly shaggy black and brown fur, blazing white teeth filled to a point and sharpened black claws. Froth dripped from it's open, growling mouth and the silvr spikes on its jet black collar shone in the street light. The dog gave a growl and bounded towards the group, the police watching in mild horror as in huge beast leapt at Sherlock, knocking him onto his back. Lowering it's head growling deeply, Lestrade was about to attempt to pull the monster off the detective when, to his surprise, the growling stopped and the dog gave Sherlock's face a friendly lick.

"Gladstone, get off" Sherlock ordered, the dog whined and sat down to the mans side as he got up. Sherlock gave the dog a friendly scratch behind the ear.

"Good boy Gladstone" He praised

"That's Gladstone?" Donovan gaped watching as the dog, who was taller than Marie gave the girl an affectionate nuzzle.

"Rottweiler crossed with a Saint Bernard" Sherlock explained, "A few growth hormones added to his food as a puppy helped a little with the size too. He's exceptionally well trained in both verbal and non verbal commands"

"He only obey's Daddy and us" Marie smiled hugging the huge dog, "If Gladstone thinks we are in trouble, he tears the threat into a million pieces"

Gladstone barked happily.

"I'm working on getting him to obey John but for now he'll only do anything if I'm standing right next to him while he says it" Sherlock sighed

"Look look!" Emily grinned turning dramatically and pointing at Anderson who had just come out of the building after dusting for prints, "Gladstone, hunt!"

The dog sprung into action with a loud bark and spray of froth, bounding over to the startled forensic officer and stopping just in front of the man, growling and walking slowly until Anderson was backed up into the corner. Gladstone reared up, placing his two colossal front paws on the man's chest, bearing his teeth.

"That's enough" Sally scolded, Sherlock chuckled

"Gladstone, come!" Joe called and without a seconds hesitation the huge dog was at the boys side loyally.

"Where did you even get a dog like that?" Lestrade gaped

"I bred him" Sherlock shrugged, "When I was a kid I had a Doberman called Freizler to protect me"

"When you were a 'kid', you were a junkie who lived on the streets" Lestrade said in a hushed tone that only Sherlock and John could hear. He couldn't help but notice the small look exchanged between John and Sherlock at the second part of that sentence.

**These are getting a bit short, I'd like to do a few more hurt/comfort ones if anybody has any ideas. Ive got a few but they are a bit cliche, but if enough people want the same stuff I'll write it.**

**Prompt away!**


	14. Chapter 14: Baby

**This prompt has been sent to me by a few people so I decided to go with it. **

**I have written another story in which Sherlock finds a child but she was six, so I decided to leave that one for a while and do the prompted one.**

The officers of Scotland Yard looked on in confusion as Sherlock narrowed his eyes at a text. Then to the utter amazement of everybody in the room he stopped looking at the case files of a triple homicide and dialed a number on his phone.

"How is he?" He asked o who ever was on the other end of the phone, the police force listening to his side of the conversation.

"Black hair and green eyes huh...I don't see why not"

"No, I'm busy you'll have to take him for now"

"You know I only look after the younger ones for a short period of time, they take up too much of my time"

"Alright...it is?"

"Right...no, thats a terrible name...Yes, yes I can see that"

"That's fine, I'll get Mycroft to have the documents drawn up, look after yourselves"

After that he hung up and whispered something to John, who's eyes widened considerably for a few seconds before shrugging and sighing.

"Don't you think you should be the one going?" He scolded, Sherlock shrugged

"I don't see how it will make much differences, I will go after my work is done" Sherlock replied airily, picking up another photo and studying it, "I believe we may need to find an egyptian..."

"What's going on?" Lestrade asked as John made for the door without the detective, they never left separately so something big must of happened. John took a breath and turned to face him, completely serious.

"Mira's had a baby" He said with a completely straight face, "I'm going to give her and the babe a check over, home birth and all"

Lestrade dropped his coffee mug, which smashed loudly, though nobody seemed to care as both Anderson and Donovan had the same reaction.

"Sherlock, you really should be going don't you think?" Lestrade coughed

"Back to fourteen again..." Sally gaped

"Somebody _really _needs to give them 'the talk'" Anderson muttered, "Or take them to a chemist"

"So...boy or girl?" Lestrade asked as normally as possible

"Had you been listening Lestrade you would of realized it was a boy by now" Sherlock sighed, obviously trying to ignore the distraction and get on with his work, "His name's Cedric"

"Right well you will be coming back to see him later" John ordered walking out the door

"Of course, I'll finish up here then I'll be right along"

...

The minute Sherlock had entered 221b where Mira was currently sitting with a baby in her arms, John checking him over they all burst out laughing.

"Alright, where did you find this one?" Sherlock grinned

"Basket case at the soup kitchen" She sighed, "He's about a year old"

"You'll care for him until he's old enough then?" John asked, surely they wouldn't entrust the kid to the Irregulars.

"I can't" Mira sighed, "I'm afraid this one if off to the orphanage until he's four, we'll visit of course, Mycroft will draw up the papers. I'll take him for a few days every now and then"

...

Six months later Lestrade had almost forgotten about the abrupt announcement of yet another Holmes bundle. He and Donovan entered 221b hoping to get Sherlocks advice on a case, however when they entered the room they found the detective fast asleep on the couch. Donovan had her camera phone out in seconds.

"Oh come on, let him sleep he's been flat out for the past two days" John sighed appearing from the kitchen, "He passed out there two hours ago"

"Why?" Asked Lestrade suddenly very concerned, that was until a tiny figure toddled up behind John grabbing his leg for balance.

"Da?" The little boy blinked his green eyes at John.

"Not now Cedric, Dad's sleeping" He sighed picking up the boy, "He's been a menace these last few days, I swear somebody injected him with poprocks"

"This is the new one then?" Donovan inspected the little boy, who giggled before turning to face the inspector. He gave a squeal and held out his tiny hands, effectively falling into the inspectors arms with a giggle.

"Uh, hi Cedric" The inspector stammered

"He likes you" Came a quiet mutter from the couch, Sherlock had obviously been woken by the conversation and was now lazily looking up at the group with bleary eyes.

"Any chance you want to take over as baby sitter?"

**Im not going to be writing Cedric much because he is so young and the Irregulars are kids. I dunno if he will appear again unless I make a time leap forwards.**


	15. Chapter 15: Birthdays

The clinic had been particularly dull today, Sarah had been right when she said the job was tedious. Most days tedious was a welcome break, he got more than enough excitement just trying to figure out what was safe to eat in his flat, not to mention all the crime solving. So when he first entered the kitchen his first thought was that a small localized snowstorm had formed within it, everything was covered with white. On closer inspection John saw the white dust was in fact flour.

And in the middle of the white room was a flour covered Sherlock. Though that wasn't really correct, Sherlock was also covered in what appeared to be sugar, milk, half an egg and a surprising amount of chocolate. Empty mixing bowls were everywhere and if the doctor wasn't mistaken various coloured icing was dripping from several surfaces.

"Sherlock what the hell happened to the kitchen?" John gaped, Sherlock hauled himself off the floor and tried to dust himself off, flour falling from his dark curls.

"I'm baking" He said simply

"How did you even manage to make this much mess?"

"I'm...not good at baking" Sherlock said hesitantly, "It always takes me a few tries to get it right"

He pointed to the bench which now housed several lumps of cooking, some burnt, some half liquid and one that was worryingly shade of green.

"Why are you baking?" John asked finally sighing, Sherlock simply indicated to the cake sitting on the table by the window. It was iced thickly with bright green icing with the word 'Mikey' written on it in yellow.

"He's turning eight tomorrow, it took me a while to get the right amount of chocolate" Sherlock explained, "The first time I put so much in the cake melted"

"Your making your son a birthday cake?" John said questioningly, it just seemed so, un-Sherlock.

"He isn't my son, he's an Irregular" Sherlock pointed out

"Yes, yes Sherlock, keep telling yourself that" John sighed

...

_Come to 221b at 1:30 today for the weirdest thing you have ever seen - JW_

Lestrade had raised an eyebrow at the text. He was about to reply when another came in.

_It involved Sherlock baking. BAKING. It took all night to get the place cleaned up -JW_

Sherlock baking? This had to be good.

...

Lestrade stared at all the kids gathered in 221b, they all looked very happy. Lestrade was about to announce his presence when Sherlock carefully placed a green cake in front of one of the boys. Mickey? Or Mikey? Mikey that was it. The kid hugged Sherlock and blew out the candles that were on top of it, John sliced it up and divided it among the fourteen children, even Cedric, who couldn't really eat it anyway.

"Hello inspector" Mrs. Hudson greeted, "Quite the little gathering isn't it"

"Yeah" Greg had to agree

"He does this every time for their birthdays, you would think he'd get better at cooking but no, the kitchen is always half destroyed in the process" She sighed, "Next time I must as John to help him"

"I wasn't aware you were coming today" Sherlock greeted him in his usual cold manner, "I cant take a case, I'm busy today"

"You're turning down a case?" Lestrade gaped, "I didn't have one, John text me but...you never turn down cases!"

"It's Mikey's birthday, I never work on their birthdays" Sherlock shrugged, "Though I wish Mikey had a different favorite..."

"favorite?" John pipped up

"Mikey likes chocolate cake, Natty like cheese, Nina likes bunt, Carolo likes marble" Sherlock listed while counting down on his fingers absentmindedly with the other adults gaped at him, "Mason likes cream and jam, Marie likes vanilla..."

It took him a full minute to get to the bottom of the list and before he could stop himself,

"And Sam-" His eyes widened slightly at his slip of the tongue, nobody mentioned Sam anymore, the detective sighed before finishing, "-likes white chocolate"

The a small shadowed cast itself over the adults in the room, unseen by the happy children, the darkness was lifted when Marie dragged Sherlock over, forcing him to share cake.

"That explains it" John sighed

"Explains what?" Lestrade asked

"Why he was eating white chocolate cake the other week, I thought it was strange for him to be eating on a case" John mused, "Especially something that sweet"

The sombre mood was once again lifted when Sherlock yelled.

"John save me!"

Sherlock had been knocked to the ground by several of the irregulars who were now trying to force feed him the cake gleefully. John rolled up his sleeves and grabbed the inspectors arm.

"Come on man, we're going in!"

**Several people wanted it so here it is!**


	16. Chapter 16: Mira

_Sherlock felt awful, his muscles ached and his head pounded. He way on something soft, it felt like his couch, he became aware that somebody was slowly pouring water between his cracked lips. His eyes fluttered open to meet bright green orbs staring back._

_"You should know better than to go through the detox all on your own" She sighed, "Cocaine is a hard drugs, especially when you were using as much as you were"_

_"Mira?" He muttered, he knew her, She worked a soup kitchen in the part of town where his dealers were, and she seemed nice enough._

_"I came to check on you, it's a good thing I did" She smiled._

…

Contrary to what the police force had been tricked into thinking Sherlock and Mira had no romantic relationship. Though he had known her for longer, she was not as close to him as John was, however she was a valuable friend. They embraced and occasionally exchanged pecks on the cheek but they were in no way romantic. No different to when he performed the same acts with Mrs. Hudson. She was one of the few women he found tolerable, even likeable. She didn't bore him.

…

Anderson watched as Mira explained how she had found the criminal in the lower parts of the London slums, little Mason at her feet. Anderson couldn't believe she took such a young boy into such a dangerous part of town. She had been acting the part of a single mother apparently and managed to trick the man into giving his real name by saying she's be willing to stay with him a while if he paid her. Mason of course had no idea what she had been implying.

Now the furious man was in the police waiting cell, annoyed that he had been tricked. He couldn't figure it out, she didn't wear a wedding ring, neither did the freak yet they seemed to be married. Fourteen kids would suggest so, the police force had talked about it at length and decided on referring to her as either his wife or just his woman. Sighing Anderson went to help Lestrade with the interrogation; the man was becoming more violent by the second.

The minute he opened the door the man was free. Completely crazed and most likely high he burst out of the door and armed himself with the first thing he could find. Which happened to be a letter opener. Why did they even have a letter opener? Anderson couldn't help but notice how Sherlock stepped in front of Mira protectively before lunging at the man, as did several officers.

For some junkie he was fast, Sherlock missed and slammed into a desk, John went to his assistance immediately. Lestrade raced forward to try and stop the man, who was about to bring the letter opener down on Sherlock's chest when there was a flurry of movement, it all happened so quickly his brain didn't have time to register. All of a sudden the man had been kicked in the stomach, Mira had a large cut down the side of her face and a letter opener stabbed into her arm. She was standing in front of Sherlock and had obviously taken the blow for him much to every ones surprise.

"John" Sherlock hissed, the man nodded jumping forward and taking down the now dazed man clutching his stomach. Sherlock meanwhile caught Mira as she stumbled backwards in shock, lowering her to the ground leaning against him. Quickly he raised his hand to the letter opener and stopped her from pulling it out.

"It's in deep" He said calmly, "Don't take it out until John can take care of it"

She nodded numbly trying to stop the blood flow. Lestrade and a few other officers managed to subdue the man and lock him back in the waiting cell, the good doctor cam and kneeled on the ground where Mira was resting in Sherlock's arms, carefully examining the stab wound while Sherlock's hand stopped the blood flow from her face.

"Anybody got a first aid kit?" John yelled, Anderson gathered it numbly. If he didn't know better he'd say Sherlock was worried.

"I'm going to take it out and sew the wound up ok?" John told her, she nodded, "I don't have any anaesthesia, I'm sorry this is going to hurt"

"Just do it John" Sherlock growled

Mira gave a small whimper and squeezed her eyes closed as John yanked the small knife out of her arm and sewed it up, wrapping it thickly in gauze. After the few short minutes the procedure took she had lost a lot of blood, which was on either John's hand, her shirt or Sherlock's coat.

"Mummy?" Mason called nervously, Anderson had almost forgotten the little boy was here.

"It's ok, I'll be fine" Mira smiled weakly as Sherlock helped her unsteadily to her feet.

"Come on Mason, let's give your mum a rest eh?" John offered picking up the boy, "I'll take him for a while"

Sherlock nodded in what could only be gratitude. The detective's cool eyes met Mira's and some unspoken conversation seemed to take place, She turned her face to the side and Sherlock ran his finger along the cut, studying it. Then he took a roll of sticking plaster from the first aid box, cut it and covered the cut gently.

…

Lestrade smirked as Sherlock lead Mira out of the room to the break room so she could lie down on one of the couches to recover from the blood loss. Not once during the entire situation had Sherlock cool mask of emotionlessness slipped. His voice had been more urgent and his eyes were much sharper, but there were no yells or tears. The inspector could tell Anderson and Donovan were slowly seeing how Sherlock ticked. The smallest act of affection from the man was huge, and it meant a lot more than it would seem. Sure Sherlock Holmes was cold but those who knew him understood the tiniest gesture meant a lot.

"I don't know about you two" Lestrade pipped up, "But despite his cool demeanour he looked the picture of a loving husband then"

"They don't wear rings" Donovan pointed out

"My point stands" Lestrade sighed, "Come on, I'm going to go see if they want coffee"

"She could use it" Anderson sighed following through the hall way to the break room, John was trying to get Mason to give back the stapler he had swiped, he shot them a pleading look as he ran down the corridor in the opposite direction.

When they reached the break room Lestrade looked through the glass door to make sure they wouldn't interrupt anything and laughed softly.

"What?" Asked Donovan and Anderson simultaneously

"See for yourself" He said happily crossing his arms and stepping away to the let the other officers look, "Go on, tell me he's an unloving psychopath"

The two looked in to the large couch that took up the wall opposite the door. Sherlock was laying on it, Mira at his side, sleeping on his chest while he carefully kept the hair from her face. A mixture of worry and care etched onto his face.

**You guys asked for a Mira chapter so here it is ****J I just added her as a mother character (If the police were gonna believe they were really his kids they needed a mother), so I never really thought about her much. **

**The ending is open to interpretation. I didn't want to write them as a couple cause it would be too OC and Ive always been an SherlockxIrene girl myself. But if enough people want it I will write them as a couple. **

**I avoid it at first because I didn't want people thinking I was just writing myself into the story, I hate that. **


	17. Chapter 17: Adrenaline

"Uncle Lestrade!"

The yell broke through the deep black layers of sleep the inspector had fallen into, blinking himself awake he found himself slumped over his desk, the little clock blinking 2:05am. He had stayed to do extra paper work, anything to get away from his awful cheating wife. He looked up to see one of Sherlock's kids blinking down at him, looking stricken.

"Haley?" He tried groggily

"Halie" She corrected quickly. It wasn't his fault, there were too many of them he couldn't remember all their names.

"Halie, what are you doing here?" He asked rubbing his face, the girl took a deep breath.

"Uncle John has gone away to see Harry so dad was all by himself and he was bored so he went off to chase some thief and I saw him cause I was out walking and I saw in the fight and the man hit him really hard and now he's laying there and he's not moving!" She wailed, it took Lestrade a few seconds to put all the words together the girl had said them all so fast, the entire speech lasted no more than ten seconds.

"Wait, Sherlock's hurt?" He finally pieced together, very much awake

"I can't wake him up!" She cried, "I need you to tell me where the vein is!"

"Come on show me where he is" Lestrade ordered throwing on his coat ignoring the muttering about veins, why would see need to know how to pick a vein?

Halie ran through the streets of London with such speed and agility the inspector had a hard time keeping up. She twisted through alleys and leapt boxes; she'd make a fantastic gymnast. Though Sherlock was almost half a mile away it took Halie only ten minutes to reach him, by the time the inspector caught up he was completely out of breath.

"Dad?" Halie called again

Sherlock was slumped against the wall, the inspector could tell from the thin blood trail he had been knocked backwards and slammed against the wall. Knocking him out. He was no doctor but he knew head wounds often looked worse than they were. The mans eyes flickered beneath closed lids.

"We had better call an ambulance, just to be safe" Lestrade sighed, "He will be ok"

"Can you help me find a vein?" Halie asked, completely straight faced, "If you do we wont need to call one"

"Why?" Lestrade slowly

"I'd of done it before but I can't find a vein" Halie sighed pulling a string from around her neck revealing a test tube. Inside the small glass contained was a capped syringe of misty liquid.

"What is that?" Lestrade growled almost forgetting Sherlock

"Just tell me where there is a damned vein!" Halie yelled, Sherlock groaned but didn't wake up. Reluctantly pointing out the vein in Sherlock's arm, Halie proceeded to empty the test tube of its contents and uncap the syringe expertly, hovering over the vein before full on stabbing the needle into his arm. She pulled it out once the liquid had been drain. Sherlock's eyes snapped open.

Giving a shocked yell the detective was on his feet stumbling in a very undignified manner, eyes wild.

"What? Wh-what?" He muttered glancing around finding Halie and Lestrade after a few seconds, the puncture in his wrist second, "What have you administered?"

"You're birthday present" Halie smiled

"Sherlock sit down let me see your head" Lestrade sighed.

…

Half an hour later they were back at the station, John had been called and was coming home early, Sherlock had allowed his head to be stitched back together by a police woman.

"So, what was in that needle?" Lestrade asked finally

"Adrenaline" Halie answered, "Enhanced adrenaline, three times the usual strength"

"Why…why did you give your daughter a syringe full of super adrenaline for her birthday?" Lestrade sighed

"I believe in giving them useful things as gifts" Sherlock shrugged, "Not games or toys"

"He got Nina a super huge coat!" Halie grinned, seemingly not saddened by the fact she would never get toys from her dad, "We like our weird gifts"

"And your weird dad" Lestrade sighed

**Im officially running low on ideas...**

**I got this idea from the Sherlock Holmes movie**

**Added Note**

**I received an AWFUL review for this story and as much as I can take constructive criticism this was a very harsh review that will effect this stories hit counter as most people will turn away from it. Its not that the person was particularly nasty, but it did put me off. **

**Unless I get a particularly good idea I'm afraid that it has put me off this story quite badly and I would rather write good chapters than crappy ones. My writing is beyond awful when I don't feel inspired. **

**So I most likely wont be updating for a while as I will be working on some of my Merlin stories. Sorry.**

**DO NOT WORRY I am not giving up on this story :) Im simply having a hard time getting pumped to write it, It might take me a day to get passionate again or a week, I dunno. We shall have to see**


	18. Chapter 18: Irregular Hotel

**You guys are awesome! Inspiration has come flooding back, almost literally XD**

**People have been wanting to know where the Irregulars live and early on I had them living in a shipping container. **

**From what I can gather, the original Irregulars lived in a basement of an abandoned building, they decked it out so it was safe and warm But since they were in the 1800's I doubt I could have the kids living like that now. **

**So, ignore the shipping container thing from earlier. I'm going to give them a new home. Once I figure out what chapter thats in I'll delete it. **

**Joseph - 8**

**Nina - 4**

**Emily - 11**

**Mason - 6**

**Riley - 14**

**Cedric - 1 (Lives at the orphanage)**

**Natty - 7**

**Halie - 12**

**Marie - 6**

**Dan - 10**

**Ricky - 11**

**Lisa - 5**

**Carlo - 9**

**Mikey - 8**

* * *

><p>Sherlock never did the shopping. Ever. He'd starve to death before he'd go shopping, with or without John. It made the army doctor wonder how the man had survived before he had him to do the weekly trip to the super market. Mycroft most likely had something to do with it.<p>

For this reason, John's jaw had dropped when he saw Sherlock enter the flat with several plastic bags laden with food. He didn't unpack it though he simply walked in, placed them on the floor by John's chair and looked at him.

"Come on" He urged, "I'm taking these to the Irregulars"

"Why?" John asked picking up the bags, "I thought they got all their food from Mira"

"She's away" He shrugged, "I wont have them begging"

Shrugging John followed Sherlock outside and into the cab, obviously he had only come home to fetch John. He had to admit, he was both excited and nervous to see where the Irregulars lived, he hoped it wasn't under some bus station or a sewer. He was surprised when he arrived at an old apartment complex. The windows were barred and the doors were strong, he could hear chattering inside.

Sherlock opened the door and walked in, the old apartment building was filled with all sorts of mismatched furniture that the kids had obvious gathered themselves, there were a few holes in the walls here and there and the paint was peeling. The place had obviously been abandoned and fixed up here and there by the kids themselves. However the structure was sound and it was warm and dry.

"Mycroft bought the place to ensure they would have a place to stay" Sherlock explained before John could ask, "I assume he pays for the water and electricity too"

"Hi Dad!" Nina calls from her place on the old dusty chandelier, how did she even get up there? John watched horrified as Nina swung the metal frame back and forth a few times before leaping off it and onto the abandoned bar at the side of the room.

"I bought you all some food" Sherlock announced, "Make sure not to eat it all at once"

"Alright!" Carlo licked his lips and started sharing out the bread and jam. The others gravitated to him, they came from the rooms to the side and down the large staircase as well. They seemed to have made the old apartments into their own little hotel. The doctor spotted Gladstone, sleeping in the corner.

"Uncle John!" Marie squealed tackling him from behind, "Hi!"

"Watch them will you?" Sherlock asked, "I'm going to make sure Joe isn't trying to make his own chemicals again"

The tall man disappeared up the stairs to check the kids rooms. His methods were unorthodox and strange but he was a good father figure to the children, in his own strange way. With Sherlock gone and the thirteen kids at his feet, John sat down and decided to ask them something he'd been wondering for months now.

"You know, if you guys went into the foster system you could go to school, have parents and computers and stuff" He mentioned, the all glared at him as if he'd suggested they go live with Anderson, "I'm not saying you should but, don't you ever want a, real home?"

"So our home doesn't have real parents and we don't go to school" Carlo scoffed, "We like it this way"

"We like Sherlock" Halie added, "He teaches us cool things, we don't need school"

"We get food and care, so what if we live here on our own" Riley snapped, "We take care of ourselves"

"I know, I always wondered that's all" John sighed, "What is child services found you? Living like this, they'd force you into the system"

"We'd run away" Emily supplied, "We'd go back to Mum and Dad"

"Mycroft would get us out" Natty added with a mouth full of jam.

"How did you find Sherlock anyway?" John asked handing Mason another slice of bread.

"We didn't he found us" Halie shrugged, "He'd find us, save us, take us home for a few days, give us a choice then he'd bring us here and make sure we were comfy"

"Says we can go to him or mum if we need food or we sick" Lisa mumbled, the five year old struggling to string the words together properly.

"He taught us which parts of town are dangerous and he told us who could give us work" Joe pipped up, Angelo's the best, he pays us loads to sweep up and stuff"

"And he teaches us things, like science" Dan smiled, "I memorized all the elements on the periodic table"

"He's teaching me to read" Nina grinned, "I can almost do it, Hamlet's difficult"

"He's teaching you to read with Hamlet?" John raised an eyebrow, of course he couldn't give her something a little simpler.

"Uh huh" Nina nodded, "When ever he isn't on a case"

"Joe what have a i told you about stealing from Angelo?" Sherlock's voice bounced down the hall, he emerged with a few pieces of silverware. Joe bowed his head.

"He's got loads and you can get good money for those down at the market" Joe muttered

"Joe, I told you before, no more stealing!" Sherlock growled

"Its easier than working" Joe argued

"Easier doesn't mean right" John added, the boy scowled

"Don't make me put you under surveillance again" Sherlock threatened

Joe didn't reply, he just shoved the rest of his dinner into his mouth, stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked back up the stairs. Slamming a door which John assumed was his bedroom's.

Sherlock sighed.


	19. Chapter 19: Killer

_Alley at Ramsey street, two doors down from the liquor store. Now. Urgent. GL_

Sherlock had jumped at the text, obviously excited about a potential case. Perhaps even a Moriarty case. Lestrade never used such an urgent tone before. Even John felt the buzz of excitement as they caught a cab down town to Ramsey street, getting out in front of the liquor shop. He could tell by the way the detectives eyes sparkled he was trying to theorize what had happened.

The scene was not a pleasant one, there was a huge amount of blood splattered across the place, most of it on the body of a large, well muscled and very dead, man. He had been stabbed multiple times in the torso but aside from the fact that this murder was not particularly pleasant there was nothing special about the scene.

"What's so urgent Lestrade, is this murderer more important than every other one?" Sherlock drawled, obvious disappointed. Lestrade's face was serious, it made John feel uneasy.

"We found the murderer" Lestrade sighed, Sherlock seemed mildly confused.

"Then why am I here?" he groaned, "You had me excited, thought you might of had something of worth"

"Sherlock, look" Lestrade implored, "There, is our killer"

Lestrade pointed to a figure a little shorter than John, in handcuffs, covered by a shock blanket, the figure raised his head, looking through his shaggy brown hair. John felt like somebody had dumped the arctic ocean over him. He felt Sherlock stiffen next to him.

"Joe?" He breathed. It was the same voice as when the detective said "John" when the mentioned walked into the pool and for those few seconds, Sherlock had doubted.

Joe was covered in the victim's blood, some was even in his dark hair and on his pale face.

"I-I didn't..." He croaked, "I didn't d-do it I swear"

"We were called because somebody heard yelling" Donovan stepped in, "When we got here, the kid was standing over the body with a knife. From what we can see, the stab wounds match it too"

"If you didn't do it who did?" John asked softly kneeling down in front of him.

"I don't k-know" Joe shook, "I came to see w-what the fuss was 'bout and h-he fell on m-me all b-bloody"

"Lestrade look at him" Sherlock argued, slightly more emotional than usual, "Does he look like he did this? Look how afraid he is, that is not the face of a pre-meditated killer!"

"Your kids are all good actors Sherlock" Lestrade pointed out, "All the evidence points to him"

"You can't be serious" John stood, "Joe causes trouble sure but he isn't a killer"

"It would appear that he is" Donovan sneered hauling Joe to his feet and opening the police car for him.

"Dad, Dad!" Joe called desperately, "Tell 'em it wasn't me! Tell 'em!"

Sherlock's eyes fell to the ground and glared at it like it was Moriarty himself. The car drove off to scotland yard while the body was gathered up to be taken for autopsy.

"He didn't do it" John said with certainty, "You will prove it"

"I hope so" Sherlock whispered quietly.

...

Sherlock spent all night in the labs, he was working himself to the bone to find a single scrap of evidence to free Joe from suspicion. The man hadn't even realized it was morning until John bought him coffee.

"Joe's story adds up but it's not enough!" Sherlock muttered, "The fractures indicate the man did fall on hi, but it could be argued Joe stabbed him and the man fell on him after..."

John sat at the back of the lab going through the autopsy report for the eleventh time. Waiting for that magical fact to appear and tell him how to prove the boys innocence. He was fourteen! Just a kid, he couldn't of done this, could he?

...

Joe sat in the holding cell wearing an over sized white shirt and grey pants. He was scared. He didn't kill that man, he hadn't. He had heard the yelling, he'd just gone to see what all the commotion was and then he'd stepped into an alley and suddenly been squashed by a collapsing man as he died.

He'd managed to get out from under him he saw the knife on the ground, he picked it up nervously. He'd just wanted to see if there were finger prints, he didn't think. He'd put his own all over it! Then suddenly the air was flashing blue and he was in chains.

His dad, Sherlock, he hadn't defended him! Well, not very much. He hadn't stopped the police taking him, why hadn't he stopped them? He didn't really think Joe had killed that man did he? He knew Dad was disappointed in him sometimes for stealing and causing trouble but he wouldn't let him rot in a jail cell for the rest of his life would he? Sure he was a bit of a cold fish but, he cared about him, right?

"Well, you've gotten yourself in some trouble haven't you?"

Joe looked up to see a black haired man in a suit, westwood by the looks of it, grinning down at him.

"Who are-"

"My names Jim, Jim Moriarty" He smiled, "Hi!"

Joe scowled, he'd heard about Moriarty. He'd read all of John's blog stories.

"relax, I know you didn't kill that man, its so obvious" He sighed then he added cruelly, "Too bad your daddy thinks you did"

"He does not" Joe snapped

"Don't you think the great Sherlock Holmes would of proved your innocence by now?" He asked, "I mean, he can't be trying very hard if he hasn't figured it out yet"

That hadn't occurred to him, his dad was brilliant. Surely he would of proved his innocence by now.

"Your a smart kid, I've been watching" Moriarty continued, "I could use a kid like you around"

Joe glared at him, more. He wasn't going to betray his dad, even if, his dad didn't believe him.

"Don't you ever get sick of him telling you off?" Moriarty asked, "Its easy to tell you're the least loved of the bunch"

Joe blinked back tears, Sherlock was so much more patient with the others, Joe just caused trouble. Maybe he really didn't want him around...

"Moriarty" Came Sherlock's cool greeting as he entered the room, "Any particular reason you are here?"

"I was just chatting with Joey here" Jim smiled, "I think he'd be much happier living over with me, don't you think Joe?"

Joe blinked, he wasn't sure what to say. He saw Uncle's John and Lestrade join them, gun's trained on Moriarty who walked to the window near the holding cell, leaning back against it.

"After all he is so clever and I have the time to show him a little, attention" Jim grinned

"If you think for a minute I'd let you near my son, you are sorely misinformed" Sherlock growled, stepping between the boy and the consulting criminal. Joe felt pride bubble up in his chest. Sherlock never refereed to them as his sons or daughters unless it was for tricking people. Sure he was tricking people now but there was something about the way he said it, like he really meant it. The teen stood up, staying safely behind his father.

"I know you didn't do it" Sherlock spoke to Joe but faced his enemy, "The angle of the stabs show that the assailant was much taller than you, even if you were on you toes you wouldn't have the force to create those injuries"

"I take it you wont be joining me any time?" Jim sighed sadly, "Oh well, I've got better things to do than be arrested, ciao!"

Without hesitating he smashed the glass with his fist and by the tie they reached it, the consulting criminal had fallen though and landed in an open truck, which drove off. Lestrade ordered a police chase running out of the hall of holding cells yelling at the top of his lungs.

Sherlock turned to Joe.

"Are you alright?" He asked placing his hands on the boys shoulders, "He didn't hurt you?"

"No" Joe choked out before rushing forward and wrapping his arms around his dad. He took him by surprise, he could tell but a few seconds later Sherlock lightly placed his hands round the boy returning the gesture. Joe felt stupid for crying, he didn't know why he was.

"I'm sorry" He sobbed into Sherlock's coat, "I'm sorry I'm such a pain. That I steal and cause trouble"

"It's alright Joe, It's alright..."


	20. Chapter 20: Media

Ever since Sherlock had started solving high profile cases it seemed he was in the news every week. It drove both the detective and the doctor mad. Sherlock because he was constantly flooded by photographers that disturbed him, John because of all the things they wrote.

When John woke that morning he was met with the sound of a noisy crowd outside, that was not necessarily strange but Sherlock hadn't solved any huge cases lately. Even so this crowd was especially large, he spotted at least three different papers and even two tv stations including camera's and reporters.

"What's with the hub-bub downstairs?" John asked stumbling into the living room of Baker Street

"Not sure" Sherlock drawled from his place on the couch, "They've been there all morning"

"Goodness Sherlock, you should been more careful!" Mrs. Hudson scolded as she entered the room looking slightly ruffled, "Those people almost knocked me over trying to ask me questions"

"Questions about what?" John asked, since Sherlock didn't care enough to ask, Mrs. Hudson didn't reply she just handed him the newspaper she was holding.

"Oh God..."

On the front page was a picture of Sherlock, walking down the street, Nina in his arms, Halie and Ricky at his feet walking with him talking. The photo had been taken last night, Nina had sprained her ankle and Sherlock had bought her to John to be fixed up before taking her back home.

**SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE MYSTERY CHILDREN **

**_Well known detective Sherlock Holmes was seen last night in the company of three unidentified children, talking to them fondly. The infamous detective is known for being ruthless in his questioning and deduction, no matter the age, race or sex of the person in question. Through all his cases the cold man has remained a sociopath leading the media to wonder who these children are and why they are in the company of the detective so late at night..._**

John stopped reading at that point and handed it to Sherlock who skimmed the article with vague amusement. Rolling his eyes and he tossed it aside.

"It wont take long for the Irregulars to find out about this" He sighed, "No doubt they will want to continue our little joke"

"The media? Isn't that taking things a little too far?" John questioned, Sherlock chuckled

"You say that like everything they write is true anyway"

Alright so he had a point there. Suddenly there was a flurry of activity outside, John could see the camera flashes in the windows. Sherlock had that look in his eyes that said he knew what had happened but he wasn't saying anything. John looked out the windows to see Nina, Halie and Ricky surrounded by reporters, shielding their eyes from the flash.

Sherlock got up and waltzed down the stairs, he was enjoying this. John rolled his eyes.

"We can't leave them to the vultures" Sherlock called, opening the door, obviously not caring that he was in his pajamas and dressing gown. Again the cameras went wild, Sherlock ignored them and waved then children in.

"Sherlock who are these kids?"

"Why are you spending time with them?"

"Are they informants?"

"Do you experiment on them?"

The questions kept coming as did the flashes, Sherlock sighed.

"These are three of my children now please, they are here for their lessons" He snapped before closing the door, "That should hold them for a while"

"I know it's Natty's turn for lessons today but..." Nina trailed off, she didn't need to finished everybody knew she just wanted to cause trouble.

"So what are they learning today?" John asked settling himself down with the newspaper gain to read the entire article, "I hope it's not maths"

"That was hardly my fault" Sherlock rebutted, John just laughed.

Not long ago Irene had joined in on one of her visits while Natty, Joe and Lisa were doing maths. She had apparently taught them the saying "Add the bed, subtract the clothes, divide the legs and multiply", which they immediately taught everybody else. Much to Sherlock's chagrin. Still, it wasn't as bad as the time she gave Sherlock a riding crop for his birthday.

Sherlock sat in his chair and went about explaining how to tell if a person was lying due to their body language. Not exactly standard procedure for schooling children but the Irregulars were completely rapt with it. Afterwards Nina even read out the first act of Hamlet, perfectly clear. It really was amazing.

Over the next few days articles continued to appear in the paper.

**SHERLOCK HOLMES: A FATHER?**

**MORE YOUNG MEMBERS OF HOLMES FAMILY SIGHTED!**

**WHO IS THE MOTHER?**

**CONFIRMED: SHERLOCK HOLMES FATHER OF FOURTEEN. MOTHER STILL A MYSTERY. **

John laughed every time he saw one. He wondered how long it would take Mira to step into the spot light. The Irregulars living arrangements had stayed secret, mostly due to Mycroft. John wasn't sure how the man did it, but nobody ever found out, if they did, Mycroft must of paid them off.

John couldn't help but worry. All this media attention couldn't be good.

**Pictures of the Irregulars! alleywayqueen has made up a little picture of all of the Irregulars as she imagined them on DeviantART**

**Link: http:/ Zebraanimator(dot)deviantart(dot)com(slash)art(slash)The-Irregulars-Sherlock-289527960**

**I was so excited Ive always wanted somebody to make fanart of my stories!**

**Also I though you might like to know I have made a few Sherlock videos myself on youtube under the name Yugiohlorie. They dont get many views though. **


	21. Chapter 21: Fear of Lightning

Rarely, very rarely, Lestrade would come over to Baker Street for a casual visit. Most of the time John chatted with the man while Sherlock complained that there were no cases. However it was obvious that the man enjoyed Lestrade's company, to a certain extent. It was on one of these visits Mycroft came storming in, his face was almost purple with rage. He thrust his hands forward, in his grip, being held by the backs of their collars were Natty and Mason.

"Geez Mycroft be careful, you're choking them!" Lestrade scolded as the elder man practically threw the two children into the room.

"I've told you a thousand times Sherlock" Mycroft growled, "Keep them OUT of the Diogenes Club!"

"I didn't send them" Sherlock rebuffed

"Daddy Uncle Mycroft is being mean to us!" Natty whined, grinning all the while.

"We didn't do nothing wrong" Mason agreed

"Anything Mason, anything" John corrected before Sherlock had the chance

"They barged into the club, yelling at the top of their lungs!" Mycroft grumbled

"I've told you not to do that" Sherlock scolded so lightly it was barely a reprimand. Natty and Mason hung their heads all the same.

"Sorry Uncle Mycroft" They muttered

"Why you keep these children around I'll never know" Mycroft rolled his eyes before leaving. The room was silent until the sound of Mycroft's black car pulled away, the kids and Sherlock grinned. John gaped as Sherlock reached into his pocket and handed them each a tenner.

"Well done" He praised, "I knew that would bother him"

"You paid them to go make trouble?" Lestrade questioned, he nodded.

"Uncle Mycroft started putting cameras int he house to spy on Dad" mason spoked up, "Dad got rid of 'em, but wanted a little revenge!"

"I love causing trouble! Especially if it's Mycroft!" Natty grinned, Sherlock ruffled the tomboy's hair.

"It's late" John piped up looking out the window at the rain that had just started, "They'd better stay here tonight"

"Very well" Sherlock agreed, "You two can sleep in my bed, go on Mason"

"Why do I gotta sleep and Natty doesn't!" Mason complained, Sherlock shook his head at the boys bad grammar.

"You're six, Natty is seven, that means she gets an extra half hour" Sherlock pointed out, "You know the rules"

Mason grumbled a bit before yawning and disappearing into Sherlock's bedroom. Natty stuck her tongue out at him as he went, after she walked over to Sherlock's violin, which was sitting on the floor and plucked at the strings the same way her father does.

"Do you play Natty?" Lestrade asked, Natty nodded.

"Daddy's teaching me, but I'm not very good" She replied

"She has no natural talent for it, but she insists on learning" Sherlock sighed, "it's a slow process"

"Sherlock!" John exclaimed, Natty shrugged.

"I don't care, it's true" She smiled, "Why should he sugar coat everything?"

Lestrade raised an eye brow at that. She seemed much to logical for a seven year old, then again, this was Sherlock's kid they were talking about.

"What's Natty short for anyway?" Lestrade continued, wanting to know more about the strange family.

"Natalia" Natty spat, "Stupid girly name"

Sherlock chuckled at that, taking the violin from her and placing it back in the case as she had lost interest in it. Lestrade had been about to ask more questions when a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder sounded. Lighting up the windows and sending an audible bang through the room. That was nothing however, compared to the sound of Natty's scream. The girl positively jumped at the sound landing on the floor with a thump.

"Natty, you ok?" Lestrade asked hopping down to check the girl who was shaking. She clamped her palms over her ears and squeezed her eyes closed.

"I f-f-fine I-" She was cut off when another strike of lightning sounded making her yelp again, the poor kid was terrified and shaking like a leaf. Lestrade felt a shadow loom over him and he looked up from his place kneeling on the floor to see Sherlock standing over them, with that look on his face. That slightly softened look Lestrade saw very rarely, like when the old woman had died during the mad bomber case but more often, when something was bothering one of his kids. Lestrade stepped back allowing Sherlock to take up place in front of Natty.

"Natty" He called steadily, "Natty, it's fine, the lightning can't get you"

She whimpered, Sherlock sighed, lifting her up and carrying her to his room where Mason was already sound asleep. Lestrade and John followed watching silently from the doorway as Sherlock placed the terrified girl on the bed facing him, she looked up at him, stiffening every time a new flash of lighting illuminated the room. Sherlock pointed to the periodic table on the wall behind him.

"Close your eyes, name them all off in any order" He ordered, "Which ones can you remember?"

"A-antimony, arsenic, aluminum, s-selenium" Natty started, her voice shaking less with each one, "Hydrgen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Rhenium..."

This went on for some minutes until Natty couldn't name anymore elements and was obviously starting to get sleepy. Sherlock laid her down on the pillow and covered her with the blanket before exiting the room, walking right past John and Lestrade.

"Natty suffers from extreme Brontophobia" Sherlock supplied going back to his place on the couch, "Always has"

John gave Lestrade a look, that 'see he isn't as cold as you think' look. Lestrade had to agree.

_Natty ran, she ran and ran till she couldn't anymore. She huddled herself into a dark corner of the alley way and cried. Flinching in the cold rain trying her best to hide away from the bright lightning and loud thunder above her. Her dad had gone crazy, he'd come in yelling and screaming about her mother being a slut and suddenly there was a gun and a blast and her mum was dead. Then her dad started to cry and there was another bang and he was dead too. Didn't they remember her? There was red everywhere, then suddenly there were flashing lights and yelling, so she ran. _

_Out the window and into the streets before anybody could see her. Now she was lost, alone, frightened and soaked. She stayed in the dark corner for hours, ignored by the few people who passed through the soaking alley, if they saw her at all. Nobody would notice the tiny blonde child, they were too busy rushing back to their homes to get warm._

_"A little far from home, aren't we?" _

_Natty jumped at the voice, looking up to see a tall, darkly dressed man with messy wet hair looking down at her. _

_"I noticed right away that couple had a child" He drawled, "Even though the police missed it entirely, just cause they were poor and you didn't have a room or toys. I saw the signs however"_

_"Are you a police man?" Natty asked standing up trying to make herself look tall._

_"No, I'm a consulting detective" She replied, "This storm is terrible, we should get dry don't you think?"_

_He turned and walked down the alley, leaving Natty behind, she sniffed, he turned back._

_"Are you coming or not?" He called, Natty's head shot up, "Unless you would rather stay here of course"_

_Natty ran after him, stumbling a bit on the slick pavement, the man gave a smile and lifted her up, holding her against his chest inside his coat to protect her from the wind and rain as much as possible. _

_"I'm Sherlock Holmes' He introduced as he walked_

_"I'm Natty"_

**Like I said before, I really like Natty.**

**A fan pointed out to me that in the first chapter Joe is 8 and then suddenly 14 later on. TOTALLY my bad! I didn't even realize! Well from now on he is 14 :P**

**New Sherlock video is up! **

**Its called 'Sherlock - Keep Moving, Sherlock's Return' by yugiohlorie**


	22. Chapter 22: Sick Father

Baker Street had been unusually quiet the last few days. John had been taking extra shifts at the clinic due to it being flu season and Sherlock, it would seem, was going through one of his black moods. He had barely spoken the last few days, simply laid on the couch, played his violin and occasionally fiddled with his microscope. Usually John would of been worried, however he was so busy with flu season he simply didn't have the time, he himself had been scarfing now antibiotics to ensure he didn't catch the disease himself.

On the fourth day since Sherlock's black mood had begun John returned home to find the flat seemingly empty. His first thought was that Lestrade had found a case for the detective however he quickly dismissed it. If that were true Sherlock would of text him, John then remembered he didn't see Sherlock that morning. Usually the detective was first awake but when John left that morning he was still in his room.

Worriedly, John knocked on Sherlock's door. No reply. Sighing he opened the door slowly peering into the room and taking in the sight.

"Oh jeez Sherlock I'm sorry" He whispered.

The detective was either asleep or passed out, John couldn't tell, twisted up in his blankets. Face flushed and coated with a sheen of sweat which made his dark curls stick to his scalp. He was still wearing his usual clothes though the collar was soaked through on the dark purple shirt. He should of realized he'd bring the flu back with him, unlike he, Sherlock didn't eat or sleep enough and hadn't been taking antibiotics. Of course he caught the disease.

Quickly the doctor gathered up a glass of water as well as a bowl and cloth, which he soaked and placed on the detectives forehead. Sherlock flinched and cracked his eyes open.

"S'all right Sherlock" John hushed, "It's only me"

"J'hn" He mumbled, allowing John to pour some water in his mouth before lapsing back into sleep.

His sleep was fitful at first, he jerked slightly every now and then, fingers curling an uncurling.

"Smm..Sam..." He muttered quietly, John felt sorry for him. It was almost a year to the day now, of course the boy would be on his mind.

"Uncle John?"

John turned to see Halie, Lisa and Marie standing huddled in the doorway, Lisa had a cut on her arm.

"We came to get a bandaid" Halie supplied, "What's wrong with dad?"

"He's got the flu is all" John sighed, getting a bandage from his kit and fixing up the girl's arm.

"He'll be ok right?" Halie asked quickly, "Fevers can kill people!"

"I know but he'll be fine" John insisted, "Promise, I am a doctor remember"

Halie knelt down and leaned against the bed, Lisa and Marie joined her, looks like John had been dismissed from the bedside vigil. John stayed anyway, flicking through a paperback, the girls seemed very happy just to sit and watch their father.

"Shouldn't be 'ere"

Sherlock was awake, his eyes were still lazed and droopy but he was much more aware.

"John, take 'em home" He ordered weakly, "They'll get sick"

"No" All three girls spat back, "We're not going anywhere"

"I really don't think I can make them move" John agreed, Sherlock scowled and pushed himself up.

"Oh no you don't" John scolded pushing him lightly back onto the bed with much to much ease, "Your not leaving that bed until your fever goes down"

"Dull" He groaned, the girls giggled.

"Go back to sleep then" John suggested, picking up the book once more.

"I've already been asleep for hours, sleep is boring, I need work" Sherlock argued

"The digits of pi are 3.141592653589..." Hallie started, continuing the rattle off another forty numbers before she stopped, "One of those digits is wrong, which one was it?"

John was impressed with the girls idea, Sherlock silently thought for two minutes before answering, Halie gave him another brain teaser, he answered that too, so she gave him another, the puzzles getting more and more complex as she went. Sherlock's answers came slower and slower each time as he started falling asleep. Eventually after the seventh puzzle the detective was asleep again. Halie grinned proudly.

_Halie was sick. She knew she was. She had been on the streets for a grand total of a week, she had barely eaten, what little food she had found in dumpsters was hardly satisfactory but it was something. Now she was laying on the cold concrete feeling the burn of tiny snow flakes melting when they came in contact with her feverish skin. _

_She shivered even though she was to hot, curling herself into a ball. Suddenly she felt something soft covering her, she cracked her eyes open to see it was a coat. It was nice. She barely registered that she was being carried until she was placed onto something else warm of soft. A couch. She opened her eyes to see a bowl being offered to her by a man, the bowl was full of lukewarm soup, which she guzzled down quickly. In retrospect, the man had most likely made it luke warm on purpose, so she could drink it quickly without burning herself. _

_He then offered her a glass with two fizzing pills in it._

_"Here, this will make you feel better" He told her, she didn't care, she was thirsty. _

_"Is she gonna be ok dad?" Halie saw the voice was a boy with dark hair like the man._

_"I'm Sam" He smiled, "This is Sherlock"_

_"Halie" She whispered, her voice was almost gone. Sherlock let her sleep in his bed and helped nurse her over the next few days until she was well again. She saw Sam again as well, he bought it 'brothers' and 'sister' to meet her, explaining that Sherlock wasn't really their dad but their surrogate father. She also met Mira, who cooed over her and helped her wash, even gave her clean, warm clothes. _

_She decided staying would be a good idea, she liked these people. Sherlock showed them where their home was, explaining how the whole Irregular thing worked. He was cooler than most people, harsh too, but Halie liked him. She liked him a lot. _

**I wanted to do a daughters story, I'll do a sons one as well later.**

**I realised what happened with Joe! I got him mixed up with Riley, since I haven't written Riley I'm just gonna switch their ages so Joe is 14 and Riley is 8. My bad!**


	23. Chapter 23: The Fall

"Alright, let me give you a little extra intensive" Said Moriarty as Sherlock held him over the edge of St. Barts. He had been on the run for the last day, doing his best to clear his name and convince the world that Richard Brooke was a lie, now he had Moriarty cornered on the roof, expecting him to launch himself off it.

"Your friends will die if you don't" The man added, Sherlock's insides froze.

"John?" He breathed

"Not just John" The other man smiled, "Everyone"

"Mrs. Hudson? Mira?"

"_Everyone!_"

"Lestrade?"

"Four bullets" Moriarty smiled, "And a bomb for your little kiddies, hidden in their little house. There is no stopping it now, unless, my people see you jump"

Of course Sherlock would gladly die for John any day, even Lestrade and Mrs. Hudson. He couldn't believe Moriarty had included the children though, he had ordered them to stay in their home, out of this mess. He had a plan of course, he couldn't let them die. The two geniuses exchanged words, for a few blissful seconds Sherlock believed he had found a way to save his friends, his family, without having to resort to his back up plan with Molly.

Until Moriarty shot himself. He had no choice. He had to jump. he hated himself for what he was about to do to his best friend but he had no choice. Swallowing he pressed the speed dial on his phone and watched as John answered on the ground below.

...

The Irregulars almost always did what Sherlock told them too, they knew he was far smarter then they were, he knew best. However, they were by no means stupid, Moriarty had underestimated them. It had been Joe who found them bomb and theorized that they were being used for blackmail, they made their way, out of the house via the underground tunnels and emerged on the street a few blocks away.

They had been following the story of 'Richard Brooke' not only through the media but word on the street, they knew their father would be hiding at St. Barts, they just needed to show that they were not in any danger. When they arrived they saw a huge crowd at the base of the building, swarming something. And there was Uncle John, he was slumped on the ground by the body that was now being lifted onto the gurney and taken inside the hospital. The body of Sherlock.

The body of their father.

It was Nina who screamed first, though they never really could be sure, they were all yelling within a few seconds. Some of the crowd turned to see them, John got up and walked over on shaky feet. Carlo, Halie and Nina got to him first, wrapping their arms around him in a vague attempt at comfort, though who was giving and who was receiving was hard to guess.

John was taken to the police station to give a statement, it was mostly yelling from what the kids could hear. They didn't care though, nobody was going to convince them their dad was a fake, they knew better. They just sat on the police station floor, completely silent and still.

Joe looked up as Sally Donovan walked into the hall where they were seated, she had played a roll in this, he knew she had. He felt anger bubble up at the hateful woman, this increased as Anderson joined her, they looked positively gleeful. Joe stood, as did Riley and Rickey, hands curled into fists. They pounced. It took three extra officers to pull the boys off the pair, they were both sporting an assortment of bruises and Anderson's nose was bleeding.

"Little horrors!" Anderson growled pressing a handful of tissues to his face, Dan stood up and tried to attack him as his brothers had but was held back by DI Dimmok.

"They just lost their father, give them a break" John snapped coming out of Lestrade's office.

...

They spent the next day at their mums, being miserable, as was Mira. On the day before the funeral they strange family was gathering back at the Irregulars house, Mira was stocking their cupboards when Marie screamed, she ran into the room holding a small yellow sticky note.

**You are good actors. Look after John for me, be a family. **

**Stay safe.**

**Dad**

The group felt their hearts soar, it had been a trick, their dad was alive. He was coming back. They didn't know when but he would, he would explain everything then, they knew it. Mira smiled at the group making them promise not to tell anybody they knew their father was alive, they had to be the picture of sadness and fragility.

The Irregulars had no problem with that, they were fantastic actors and Sherlock knew it, Mira would be fine too. However, John was not a good actor, they had to keep this from him. It pained the children to hurt their uncle this way, but they knew it was for the best. They would look after him.

...

The funeral had been short, no prayers or sermons, just simple words spoken in hushed tones. John had never felt so empty in his entire life, he'd punched Lestrade when he entered the ceremony. He hadn't cared, he knew he deserved it. He'd also punched Mycroft, again nobody cared. He was too broken to stay angry at either of them.

Lestrade stood a few steps behind John at Sherlock's grave, he'd leave the man to himself in a little while. He turned to leave when he stopped, blinking to make sure he wasn't seeing things.

"John" He called softly, "Look"

The two men spun around to see thirteen little figures standing not too far away. All dressed in black over coats and blue scarves. Not too far from the group was Mira, baby Cedric in her arms, both were sporting a blue scarf also. Mira walked off towards the south gate with Cedric after a few seconds, leaving the children on their own. The group stood, staring forwards emotionlessly, Lestrade looked at them with awe.

Finally, Joe raised a two finger salute to the grave, the others copying his movement, before the group turned and followed the eldest boy out of the cemetery and into the city.


	24. Chapter 24: The Fall II

**Their ages by the end of the chapter**

**Joseph - 15**

**Nina - 5**

**Emily - 12**

**Mason - 7**

**Riley - 9**

**Cedric - 2**

**Natty - 8**

**Halie - 13**

**Marie - 7**

**Dan - 11**

**Ricky - 12**

**Lisa - 6**

**Carlo - 10**

**Mikey - 9**

It was a week after the funeral when the graffiti started. It began

in back alleys and on abandoned buildings, then it started appearing on billboards and even St. Bart's itself. In big, yellow spray-painted letters.

I BELIEVE IN SHERLOCK HOLMES

John felt pride as he watched it appear, over and over again, no matter how many times it was washed off, the words would be back later on. Even on the side of Scotland Yard. It baffled police how the culprits got away with it. Soon after posters of the detective appeared next to the message, paste-ups covered fences and walls all over the city. Posters baring Moriarty, his eyes cut out by a single streak of yellow paint, soon joined them and words "MORIARTY WAS REAL" scrawled next to it.

John really shouldn't of been surprised when Mason, Joe, Lisa and Dan appeared at his door a fortnight after the funeral, wearing their trade mark black coats and blue scarves. He seldom saw them without them these days, they only took them off to bathe or sleep. They entered the room silently, Lisa simply reached into her black backpack and handed him a spray can. John looked dumbly at the yellow can in his palm, of course the Irregulars were the ones behind it.

"Well are you coming or not?" Came Lisa's muffled call, he looked back to see the group standing with their coat collars turned up and their scarves covering the bottom half of their face. He grinned, grabbing Sherlock's own scarf, which he had pinched from the police evidence box, wrapping it around his face.

He didn't join them every night, they took turns. It was a wonder they were never caught really, the doctor had a feeling Mycroft had something to do with it; for once John really didn't care about the eldest Holmes's intrusion. One night John was just finishing the M in Holmes with Marie when he heard the footsteps, he looked to his side to see Greg Lestrade standing with him, staring.

"You missed a spot" The inspector said finally, revealing the spray can stuffed up his sleave and finishing the last few letters himself.

…

The next year was by no means easy. John missed Sherlock terribly; it was like there was a part of his own heart missing. Were it not for the Irregulars he might of done something foolish. The Irregulars took turns staying the night at Baker Street, sleeping in Sherlock's bed. John was never alone. He went through bad days, even weeks, when he would be irritable and broken; he'd often cry himself to sleep. However when he woke a blanket would cover him and one of the kids would be snuggled up at his side.

Everybody knew who the Irregulars were now, after the initial hype of Sherlock's suicide was over, pictures of the young faces appeared. They were interviewed but they never said anything but "Our father wasn't a fake" or "Moriarty was real, just you wait"

John couldn't help but feel proud of the children, Joe had even walked straight into Scotland yard in his "Sherlock" garb, stated simply that the murderer who had been loose the last week was the wife of the first victim and walked out. Lestrade had been baffled, soon the Irregulars appeared at the station more often, handing in clues, and pointing out things they missed and even solving the crimes all together, even the youngest of the group. They always did it was a straight, calm face, with their clothes and the new attitude, they really were like mini Sherlock's.

John could tell that Lestrade didn't really care; in fact he had to hide a smile whenever one of the children walked in the door. Especially if Donovan or Anderson were in the room. After their initial reaction to the two they now ignored them with passion, staring right through the pair every time, with one exception. It was Marie who said it, she had walked in and pointed out the killer they were looking for was obviously a college student when Donovan had pipped up.

"how do you know?" She growled, "You can't create these crimes, how do you know how to solve them?"

"I use my fathers methods" She said simply, "He taught us"

"Your father was a fake" Anderson growled, Marie stood in front of the man, twice her size and stared up at him.

"I believe in Sherlock Holmes" She announced much to John's surprise, then she walked away. The doctor could tell even the dumbest members of the yard got the message, Marie had all but admitted she was part of, what had been dubbed, "the Movement". John smirked; they couldn't do a thing about it.

…

It had been just over a year since Sherlock's death when it happened. A new message in yellow spray paint appeared on the front of Scotland Yard. The police were baffled, not only by the fact that their security cameras missed catching the perpetrator, but by the message.

IT"S SHOWTIME!

John had been baffled too however the Irregulars seemed smug and excited, all of them marched into Scotland Yard, hands filled with files and papers which they laid in front of the force.

"What's going on John?" Lestrade asked, John just shrugged; he was as clueless as the inspector. The police began to sort through the files, their eyes growing wider with every word read. Inside was proof. All the proof of Richard Brooke's false identity, all of Moriarty's back-story, proof that Sherlock Holmes had not been a fake. There was everything from emails to transcripts and recordings of conversations. Joe even handed in his father's phone, which held a recording of Sherlock and Moriarty's last conversation.

"How long have you had this?" Lestrade breathed when they were finished

"Most of it we've had since a few days after the fall" Joe admitted, "We gathered the rest over the past year"

"Why show it now then?" Snapped Sally, John rolled his eyes; even he could figure that one out.

"Because they were told to keep it a secret obviously" John sighed, "The message, 'it's Showtime', it was the trigger, and the sign to say it was alright to come forward"

"Sorry we couldn't tell you Uncle John" Nina said sincerely

"We were under orders" Dan nodded

"From Mycroft no doubt" John sighed, "He didn't seem the type to spray paint the building…"

"It wasn't from Uncle Mycroft" Natty admitted slowly

"Well who then?" Lestrade asked

"From me"

The voice cut through the room, sending it into stunned silence, all eyes flew to the figure who was sitting on the window sill, obviously having just climbed through it from the outside, he gave a small smile before hoping down on the floor, black coat billowing out behind him.

"You really should check your air vent's Lestrade, I've been in there all morning"

"Dad!"

"You're back!"

"Told you I would be, don't get so excited" Sherlock sighed happily as he was almost bowled over by the happy kids.

"Sherlock…" John gaped; he was the only one to speak

"Alright, everybody out!" Lestrade ordered, practically pushing the rest of the stunned police force out of the room and closing the door behind him, leaving John, Sherlock, Lestrade and the Irregulars alone.

"Sherlock what the hell!" John raged turning an interesting shade of red, "What the hell! What the bloody hell were you thinking putting me through that!"

"It was necessary" Sherlock explained, telling the story of the assassins and his past year dismantling Moriarty's web. How he left a note for the Irregulars and had Mycroft relay instructions for his reappearance to them, John looked hurt that he had been left to suffer. The children did their best to explain why they had to know and he didn't. John understood, but it didn't make it hurt any less.

"Uncle John's been really sad Dad" Nina implored

"Really, really sad" Mason added

John looked at his best friend, he knew his eyes were filled with hurt, he looked away, suddenly surprised to find Sherlock had stepped forward and was hugging him. Hugging! Despite his surprise he returned the gesture.

"I'm sorry"

"I know"

The contact was fleeting but from Sherlock it was a huge deal, he really was the mans only friend. The Irregulars swarmed around the two men, grinning. John laughed, they really were London's strangest family.

**I know it's supposed to be three years according to the books but I didn't want the Irregulars getting too old, y'know?**


	25. Chapter 25: Molly

**I cannot believe I forgot to do a story with Molly's reaction! I am so glad JFreak mentioned it. Alright well this is after the fall obviously but it would be best if Molly didn't know very much about the Irregulars for the best reaction so, for context Molly has heard about them but because she has never seen them personally, thought it was just media lies. Hence, she can still be surprised.**

Sherlock was welcomed back with open arms by most of the yard, and a fair few apologies. Mira practically threw herself at the man; John was surprised he wasn't knocked over with the force of the hug. Irene had even called it, her reaction was less than pleasant for the detective however, the argument had ended with the dominatrix hitting Sherlock with the riding crop she'd given him with a surprising amount of force. It had taken almost an hour to grumbling before Sherlock allowed John to treat the cut.

Molly had of course, been in on the entire thing but was still happy to finally be able to speak about it openly, nobody resented her for it. Though John couldn't help the stab of jealousy. However Molly still got to have a shock, a few weeks later.

…

Molly walked into the morgue and nearly dropped her coffee; two children were sitting on the empty slab, right next to a dead body, looking at it with curiosity. They must have been here with their parents and obviously, had wandered off.

"What are you two doing in here?" she asked sweetly, the boy turned to look at her.

"Looking around" He shrugged, "Nina, do you think we can make a wound look like it bled naturally? Cut the skin then you could squeeze the blood out"

"Nah" the girl, who must have been Nina replied, "Then ya'd leave bruises and finger prints"

"Now, you two this isn't a place for children" She scolded lightly putting her coffee down, "You really should go and find your mummy"

"Don't treat us like we're stupid" Nina scowled, "We weren't gonna touch it or anything, right Mason"

"Yeah" Mason nodded

Molly sighed, she was about to tell the kids they really couldn't be down here and that she would have to call security when the door opened and a woman with long dark hair and green eyes walked it.

"There you two are" She smiled, "I hope your not disturbing anything"

"We are just looking" Nina hummed

"These are your kids?" Molly asked politely, "They really can't be in here sorry"

"Oh they wont cause any trouble" She smiled, Molly felt a stab of jealousy at the woman's beauty, "They are just waiting for their father is all, he promised to let them burn magnesium"

"Well, if it's only for a few minutes…" Molly relented, "I'm Molly-"

"Hooper!" The woman smiled, "I heard what you did for Sherlock, thank you"

"Ah yes" Molly blushed at the detectives name

"I'm Mira" The woman continued carefully lifting Nina off the slab and handing her a few tools to examine, "These two are Nina and Mason, in case you didn't know"

Molly had been about to reply when Sherlock appeared in the doorway, John just behind him. Molly had been about to introduce them when Nina jumped up from the floor and said something that made her jaw drop.

"Daddy!"

The girl attached herself to the tall man's leg for a few moments before handing him some strips of silver metal, magnesium. Where did she pinch those from?

"Dad can we burn it now?" She pleaded, "please please pleeeeeeease!"

"Not here Nina" he replied, "The others want to be there too, we will go home"

"If you set the kitchen on fire…" John warned

"That was one time" Sherlock rolled his eyes

"It was a lot of fun though" Mira joined in, "Sherlock, you really should of introduced me to Molly before, she is so nice"

Molly felt strangely numb, she remembered hearing about all those tabloid, "Sherlock Holmes has children" exposes years ago but she never thought…He never said anything about it…

"So these are your kids?" She squeaked finally, "I thought it was all media lies"

"Nope, all fourteen of them" john sighed, "Their a terror Molly, you won't believe the things they've done"

"Don't be like that Uncle John" Mason whined, Molly jerked when she felt a pull on her lab coat, Nina was at her side.

"You helped Dad right?" She asked, Molly nodded shakily, feeling more and more stupid, Nina smiled, apparently oblivious to Molly's feelings for Sherlock.

"Thankyou Aunt Molly" She smiled, Molly gave a weak smile in response before turning to Mira, determined to be pleasant.

"So, fourteen kids" She said finally, "Are these two the oldest?"

Mira laughed, "God no, that would be Joe, he's fifteen"

"Mira" John spoke the word like he was scolding a child; Mira raised her eyebrows at him. Then back to Molly, eyes widening ever so slightly, the entire exchange was ignored by the oblivious Sherlock who was explained the coagulation of salvia after death to his daughter.

"Oh" Was all Mira could say, great, was her jealousy that obvious?

To her surprise Mira smiled sympathetically.

"Come on, we should let Molly work" Sherlock announced shuffling the kids out the door, "John, Mira"

John followed the two children out, Mira stayed, she looked at Sherlock, he looked back and sighed, did he know what she was thinking?

"Fine, Goodbye Molly" He called before leaving.

"Don't worry about it" Mira smiled

"He never mentioned…"

"It's not in his nature" Mira interrupted guessing the next sentence

"He knew what you were thinking" Molly went very red, Mira laughed.

"No he didn't, he just observed my facial expressions" She laughed, "He knows me well is all, I've known him since I was Nineteen"

"How long is that?" Molly asked, it had to be at least fifteen years, to her surprise Mira replied with,

"Ten years"

"What?"

"Those kids, they aren't ours, together I mean" She laughed, "Fourteen kids, really?"

"but-"

"Their street children" Mira smiled, "I work the soup kitchen, Sherlock looks after them, found them a home and teaches them, I feed them. They started calling us 'Mum' and 'Dad' years ago"

Molly would be lying if she said she wasn't relived.

"But!" Mira added heading for the door, "Don't tell anybody you know, we've had this joke going for ages now. You should of seen Lestrade's face"

Molly laughed, half with amusement, half with relief.

"So you and Sherlock…?"

"Just friends" Mira insisted, "Good friends"

**I'm glad you guys didn't want a Mira/Sherlock couple. I really didn't want to write it! This is a lot of filler I know but I've only got one other idea at the moment and I wanted to do this one first.**


	26. Chapter 26: Great Game 20

John hadn't felt so nervous in a very long time, the bombing had started up again. Moriarty's bombings. They got a phone in the mail the phone would ring, pips and all, with a crying victim, hidden and covered in explosives, held hostage until Sherlock solved the crime. Ever since the ordeal had started up a few days ago, all the Irregulars had been kept inside the walls of Baker Street, Gladstone guarding the door. Sherlock hardly ever let John out of his site, especially once the final pip was due. Any minute now. Though he'd never admit it, John could tell Sherlock was worried for him, this person, who ever it was, was doing their best to make the puzzle as similar as possible. That meant he would want to cover John in semtex again as well.

Therefore everybody was very surprised when the phone rang, John safely at Sherlock's side at the police station. No voice this time, just a text. They didn't tell Lestrade, instead they pretended to be heading to Baker Street.

The pool, I'm 't tell the police or else Xx

It had taken a good five minutes of yelling to convince Sherlock to let John go with him.

"Sherlock I'm not letting you walk in there all by yourself!" John insisted, "You don't even know who your up against!"

"I do" Sherlock hissed, "Sebastian Moran, the one member of Moriarty's web I couldn't find"

"I'm still coming with you" John insisted, loading his handgun and slipping in into his pocket.

"Sebastian is ruthless!" Sherlock yelled, "Even Mycroft has never laid eyes on him, he's just a passing mention in all the biggest assassinations Moriarty ever ordered"

"I'm not leaving you"

Sherlock had shut up after that. They took a cab to the infamous pool. Walked in silently, the only sound was the quiet lapping of water on the sides of the pool. They stood in silence, Sherlock slightly ahead of John ready to block the path of any sniper lines if need be.

"I know it's you" Sherlock announced finally, "Come on out Moran!"

Silence.

"Come on we know who you are!" John yelled, trying not to feel so nervous.

"Oh I doubt that"

The voice cut through both men like a knife, it was wrong, so wrong. Firstly, it was a woman's voice, not a man as they expected. Secondly, it was a familiar, female voice. Both John and Sherlock was dumbstruck, is this how the detective had felt when John had walked out of the stalls last time they were here?

"Oh, have I given you a shock?" Came the echoing voice again, a clicking of heels.

Mira stepped out of the dark and into the light.

…

Sherlock couldn't believe this was happening again, it was horrifying. Not just the fact that Mira was here but the fact that she wasn't wearing a jacket. She was wearing her normal shirt and shirt, there were no bombs, no laser sights on there. She stood there, on her own free will, smiling.

"Hello" She greeted giving a small bow, "Sebastian Moran at your service"

"What?" Was all that Sherlock managed to say

"Nobody looks for a woman when she uses a mans name" Mira shrugged, "You

don't think Moriarty really knew about you all the way back to when you noticed Carl Powers do you?"

"You?" John croaked, she nodded, looking at the ground.

"It's been so dull since Jim died" She sighed, "I've had nothing to do, no spying or anything"

"You informed on me to him" Sherlock blinked, he was not upset, he refused

to be upset. It was just a bad dream, please let it be a bad dream.

"Kids were useful too, though, they didn't know who I was working for" She winked, Sherlock's heart felt cold.

"Why did you do all this?" He asked, hoping she couldn't see the slight tremor in his hand as he raised his gun, John looked surprised. He didn't know why, obviously in that year alone he had to get himself some protection.

"Because..." She trailed off still looking at the floor before snapping her head up in a wide grin, "It was fun!"

Sherlock almost felt sick, this wasn't right! Mira was not a psychopath! She wasn't even a sociopath, she cared, about John, about the Irregulars...about him.

"I'm a great actor aren't I?" She mused, skipping along the side of the pool for a bit looking at her reflection with a completive look, "Fooled you for so long, so long"

She gave her hair a flick and laughed, her earring flashed in the florescent lighting.

"How could you?" John growled, "Mira how could you do this!"

"Easily, I just followed in Dear Jim's foot prints" She grinned, blinking in the light.

"What do you want?" Sherlock said finally

"To burn the heart out of you" She grinned, the entire sentenced dripped with irony.

"Are you going to give me a straight answer or not" Sherlock replied

"Alright" She replied, did her hands just shake?

"Shoot me" She said simply, "Life's boring without Jim and I know you don't want to"

Sherlock's brain snapped, her ears, there were no earring in them. Nothing to catch the light when she flicked her hair, meaning something was in her ear. The way she hesitated before, looking at the floor, the slight tremor in her hand just a few seconds ago. The blinking. The morse code he had taught her and the kids all those years ago.

S-O-S

He couldn't believe he'd fallen for the same trick.

"No" He said calmly, "Your not fooling me Moran, I know your listening"

Mira's shoulders sagged in relief, becoming taunt again when a large well muscled blonde man walked into the room, his hair in a short pony tail. He heard John sigh in relief beside him, taking out his gun and aiming it at the real Sebastian Moran. He quickly took the small earpiece from Mira's ear and dropped it into the pool with a solitary spark, keep hand clenched around her arm. Mira narrowed her eyes at him. SHerlock could tell she was scared, but just like John she was doing her best to appear strong.

"Well, that was fun while it lasted" Moran sighed, "I never really was one for games, that was all Jim, I just did all this as a sort of, memento"

"Let her go" Sherlock ordered

"Why should I?" Moran sneered,

"Because you're surrounded!" Came a booming voice, suddenly red laser points appeared all over Moran's body. The man's jaw dropped

"I told you no police!" He growled shoving Mira forward, she took a few wobbling steps before her knees gave out on her, Moran lowered the gun towards her, ready to fire when several things happened at once. The police burst through the doors of the pool, both John and Sherlock shot forwards, there was the bang of a gun going off and al of a sudden Moran was on the ground. Tackled by Sherlock, gun sliding over the tiles and into the pool.

Several police officers grabbed him and Sherlock turned to make sure Mira was ok. To his surprise and horror, Mira was supporting John, he had apparently been hit by the shot from Moran's gun, his side was bleeding.

"John!" Sherlock was at his side in a second

"It's fine Sherlock" John groaned sitting up, holding his side, "It only grazed me, a few stitches and I'll be good as new"

"Uncle John!"

"Dad!"

"Mum!"

The Irregulars ran to their family much to their shock.

"What are you doing here?" Mira almost yelled

"We used Dad's phone tapping gear to receive any text the phone got" Dan panted, "We wanted to, just in case we could help"

"When you went to the pool we rang Lestrade" Riley continued

"We knew it would take him too long to get here and a few minutes is everything" Marie pointed out, "So we ran here"

"That was you?" Sherlock asked, looking up at the dark balcony where the laser sights had come from. All of the children held up laser pointers.

"Not exactly sniper rifles" Natty grinned, "But it fooled him long enough"

John laughed, then winced, obviously forgetting the large gash in his side. A medical team stitched him up within a few minutes and gave him something for the pain. Mira was given a shock blanket, which made her laugh and some mild sedatives. They were then all driven back to Baker Street when most of the children crashed on the couches and chairs, a few on the floor. Sherlock let Mira use his bed to rest and John fell asleep almost immediately, not really caring that he was sharing his bed with Dan due to the lack of space.

Soon only Sherlock was awake, not really doing anything, simply keeping a vigil on the flats silent figures.

"Dad?"

"Marie" Sherlock acknowledged, "You should be asleep"

"Maybe you should rest too Daddy" Marie blinked back sleepily, "It's late"

Sherlock picked up the girl and found the place on the couch where she had been curled up until a few minutes ago, placing her down carefully.

"Alright" He agreed sitting down on the floor and leaning against the arm of the chair, intending to get up again once she had fallen asleep. However the room was warm and once he gave his body time to relax he found sleep was soon very inviting and before he knew it Sherlock was asleep.

**Haha! Didn't really think I'd make Mira evil did you? I wonder how long I managed to fool some of you. I wanted a cute ending ^^**


	27. Chapter 27: Chase

Lestrade wasn't exactly sure what hit him, one moment he was walking to work at the Yard, coffee in hand, next he was on the ground, coffee spilled. He blinked a few times to clear his head and saw John Watson sitting a few paces in front of him, rubbing his forehead.

"John what the hell?" Lestrade groaned standing up and offering the man a hand, before the doctor had a chance to answer a there was a quick shot of static from his pocket. John fished a walkie-talkie out of it and pressed the button. Sherlock's voice filled the inspectors ears, it was hushed, like he was whispering.

_"John where are you! They almost have me!"_

"I'm on Rode Avenue" John replied, "Don't worry, I'll be there in a minute, I've got two on my tail"

_"Hurry!"_

John dropped the walkie-talkie back into his pocket and quickly gave Lestrade a nod.

"Sorry, gotta dash, being chased and all"

Lestrade just blinked in confusion as John took off down the street and into an alley. It took him about three seconds to decide to follow. They two barrelled through the streets for some minutes before John stopped and dragged Greg inside a loading bay. It was obviously for a seafood restaurant because it stank of fish.

"John what's going on? Who's after you?" Lestrade asked, John simply held a finger to his lips and indicated to the shadows of two forms, they must have been standing in the entrance of the loading bay. He stayed silent. What organisation had Sherlock pissed off now. After a few seconds the shadows disappeared, apparently having left the loading bay in order to search somewhere else.

"Sherlock" John whispered into the little black device, "Sherlock, they almost got me, Lestrade's with me, almost gave me away"

_"Where are you?"_

"Loading bay"

_"Alright, I'm near Baker Street. Lestrade's involved now. Nothing we can do about that"_

"I know" John sighed, "Where do we go?"

_"Try Angelo's, they searched there earlier, they won't think to go again"_

"Right"

They were off again, Greg's eyes peeled for any government officials or shady figures. They made it to the back alley of Angelo's all right, Sherlock dashed round the adjacent corner a few seconds later, breathing heavily.

"What…the…hell is….going on?" Lestrade panted

"We are being…chased" Sherlock answered, "Surely you could tell"

John opened his mouth to answer but all that ended up coming out was a yelp when a shadow took him down, followed by Sherlock. A second later Lestrade felt a pressure on his back and he took was on the ground, somebody was sitting on him, wait, two somebodies.

"Three and a half hours" Sherlock muttered, "They are getting better"

"I'm sorry what?" Lestrade growled, looking up at the face of the Irregulars pinning the two men and presumably him, to the ground.

"You mean you've been running from them all this time?"

"Cross London Hide and Seek" John chuckled, Lestrade groaned.

"We got you!" Dan laughed, getting off Lestrade, "I didn't know you were playing Uncle Lestrade"

"Yeah, you should play more often" Natty giggled, "More challenge"

"I don't believe this"

**Just a short story I wrote before class started**


	28. Chapter 28: Lestrade Gets a Clue

"Dad..."

The voice was weak and dripped with exhaustion yet it managed to be heard over the noise of Scotland yards office, all eyes turned to the small figure leaning against the door frame. In his trade mark bandana was nine year old Mikey, his black 'Sherlock' coat hung off him loosely and his scarf was missing. A worrying amount of blood was seeping through his head scarf.

"Dad" He called weakly, surprisingly Dimmok caught the kid as he tried to walk forwards, ending up on the floor, "dad..."

"Somebody call Sherlock!" Dimmok ordered, "Lestrade!"

Greg quickly took the injured and obviously in shock boy from his fellow inspector and carried the boy to a couch in the break room, yelling at everybody he passed to get a first aid kit.

"Dad" Mikey called again

"No mate, its Uncle Lestrade, see?" Lestrade said calmly, "Can you tell me what happened?"

"Uncle...Lestrade?" Mikey blinked

"Yeah, Mike, what happened?"

"Car" Mikey muttered, eyes beginning to droop.

"Oh no, you have to stay awake ok?"

"Kay..."

Luckily the police medical officer chose that moment to enter, quickly peeling off the bloodied bandana in order to look at the injury to the boys head. Mikey shifted away, gasping when he moved his chest the wrong way, he must of bruised them, if not broken.

"No, get away!"

"It's alright Mikey, he is trying to help you" Lestrade hushed

"Uncle John, he's a doctor" Mikey muttered with feverish energy, "Get John...I want my dad..."

"Stay still" The medical officer hushed, Mikey gave up and let the man treat him tiredly blinking. Eyes staying closed longer each time.

"Bad concussion, two fractured ribs, some sever bruising on his left side and a broken arm" The medical officer finished, "Did he say what happened?"

"Car" Lestrade repeated

"Looks like a hit and run if you ask me" The officer replied shaking his head, "Who hits a kid and keeps driving"

"Why wouldn't anybody help him?" Lestrade wondered aloud, "Surely somebody saw"

"Didn't know 'em" Mikey muttered head dropping onto his chest, "Coulda been anyone..."

"Michael!"

Lestrade had never heard Sherlock call Mikey by his proper name before, the man had swept into the room, John at his feet. The kid practically fell into the mans arms looking relieved and relaxed for the first time since arriving at the station.

"What happened Lestrade?" Sherlock demanded

"Hit and run, he just showed up here calling for you" Lestrade explained, "He wouldn't let anybody help him, only let the med near him cause he was exhausted"

"John check him over" Sherlock ordered standing up while John laid the boy back on the couch, "Mikey doesn't trust easily, you're lucky neither of you have a black eye"

"He's not kidding, kids got a nasty right hook" John added, "He'll be ok Sherlock but he needs a hospital"

Sherlock called an ambulance within seconds, shouting abuse at the person on the other end of the line for them to hurry up. The ambulance arrived and took the three away, Lestrade followed in his car. The kid was fine, admitted and resting in the hospital bed within the hour, wounds would heal up nicely. Lestrade watched over him while John and Sherlock went to call the others and inform them about what had happened. A nurse came in to check the boys temperature and vitals.

"I was hoping we wouldn't be seeing him again" She smiled softly

"He's been here before?" Lestrade asked

"A lot, through his early years, up until about four years ago" She smiled sadly, "Poor dear, I'd never seen such horrible abuse"

That made Lestrade feel cold. Abuse? Sherlock had a temper but he wouldn't hit a kid would he? Plus all of them loved him.

"I'm so glad Mr. Holmes took him in" She added, that made Lestrade stop.

"Took him in?"

"His father was such an awful drunk, beat the boy half to death one night" The nurse told him, "Mr. Holmes found out and all of a sudden there was all this official paper work from higher up, transferring Michael into his care. He's only been back here for flu shots since. It was quite a night"

_Taylor felt sad as she watched the little boy, Mikey, being held roughly by the wrist by his father. The man stank of alcohol and it was obvious the man had been the one to hurt the child, however they had no solid proof. The kid was too frightened to talk. He was in bandages, tears brimming in his eyes._

_"Sir I really think your son should stay a few extra nights" Taylor insisted_

_"Wadda you know" He slurred_

_"Please" Mikey begged, "I'm sore"  
><em>

_"Shut up!"_

_"But-"_

_"I said SHUT UP!" The man bellowed knocking the poor boy the the floor. _

_Nobody had taken any notice of the tall, black haired man who had emerged from the morgue a few minutes ago, stopping to observe the situation. He walked forward and stepped between the man and boy._

_"I think you should leave until the alcohol has left your system" He said simply_

_"Oh yeah?"_

_"Yes" He replied emotionlessly, the drunk man threw a right hook but the younger dodged it easily, pushing the intoxicated man backwards onto the floor. He grumbled, picking himself up and left, not even sparing Mikey a glance. The tall man turned to Mikey and knelt down, the boy curled up into a ball._

_"I know he hurt you" The man said, "I'm Sherlock Holmes, a detective, I can stop him hurting you"_

_"You can?" Mikey asked quietly. Sherlock nodded._

_"Right now, I think you should go back to your room and be looked after" Sherlock suggested, gently lifting the boy into his arms, "I'll take you"_

_Sherlock stayed with the boy through the night, talking with him, Mikey actually smiled. A few days later a few other children came through the door and talked with him as well. On the day of his discharge instead of a drunken father, Sherlock took Mikey with him. The boy clung to his coat, drinking in every word the man said as they walked out the door._

"Explains the boys trust issues" Lestrade murmured, Nurse Taylor nodded leaving the Di to his thoughts. So Sherlock adopted him, perhaps he wasn't the only adopted one in the bunch, it would certainly explain some things. He'd ask him when he returned.

Sherlock entered the room and sat down, not looking worried, at least not outwardly. Mikey began to twitch in his sleep, eventually waking up with a soft gasp, his eyes flew over the room landing on Sherlock. The detective laid a hand over the boys, Mikey smiled and closed his eyes again.

Lestrade decided to ask later.

**I felt like doing a hurt comfort piece to make me feel better. My art teacher told me my sketch was terrible and ripped it up :(**


	29. Chapter 29: Clara

**Warning: Gore, blood**

The scene wasn't pretty. Murder suicide. The body's of a red haired woman and her husband were on the floor, the woman having been shot several times in the torso and the man though his mouth. A disturbing amount of blood was staining the walls of the small apartment. Sherlock walked around for exactly thirty seconds before confirming the man had killed his wife in a fit of rage over her affair and then killed himself due to the guilt. The team quickly gathered up the bodies after both Sherlock, Anderson and John had inspected them, leaving Lestrade to talk to the pair while ANderson left, thoroughly annoyed that Sherlock had deduced he was sleeping with other members of the force beside Sally.

"Well, that was cleared up nicely, terrible business" Lestrade sighed looking at the blood on the walls.

"Worse than you know inspector" Sherlock said in a far off voice, he was narrowing his eyes at a cupboard in the corner. It was old and water damaged, it was the kind made with slats, two of which were broken, leaving a small hole.

"Sherlock?" John questioned as Sherlock made his way over to it.

"Please don't tell me that hole means he didn't kill her" Lestrade groaned, he had no idea how it could but Sherlock had deduced a mans innocence by his aftershave once.

Sherlock ignored the question in favor of flinging open the cupboard revealing a lot of old coats and a few boxes of books. Lestrade had been about to ask Sherlock what he was doing when Sherlock spoke, apparently, to the cupboard.

"You can come out, we wont hurt you I promise"

Lestrade had to wonder if the man was really clean for a few moments when a small girl, no more than four years old with long red hair, stepped out from behind a coat. She trembled and tears stained her face. Sherlock knelt down in front of her.

"You saw everything through the slats and that hole didn't you?" He asked quietly, she nodded, "Do you have a name?"

"Clara..." She mumbled

"I'm Sherlock, these are my friends John and Greg" Sherlock introduced, it was one of those strange occasions when he used Lestrade's first name.

"Were those your mum and dad?" Sherlock prodded, Clara started to nod but then shook her head.

"Foster parents" She sobbed, "I don't have real ones, Ma picked me because I have red hair like her...well, she did..."

The girl started to cry, Lestrade's heart went out to her the poor thing had lost the only family she had, in a very brutal and traumatizing way.

"I don't wanna go back to the foster house" She sobbed covering her face, "Nobody likes nobody else"

It was true the foster system wasn't good, a lot of the kids ended up running away or on the street because nobody took them in. Nobody paid any attention to the children in the homes until it was time to ship them off, it was a lonely existence.

"You don't have to, if you don't want to you know" Sherlock smiled softly, "Why not come with me? I've got other kids just like you, who needed homes, they will look after you"

"Are, you a social worker?" She asked slowly

"No, I'm a consulting detective" Sherlock replied, "My best friend John over there is a doctor"

"I'll text Mira" John offered getting out his phone

"You don't have to stay, but if you like your welcome" Sherlock offered, Clara seemed to think about it for a few seconds before nodding and reaching her arms around the tall mans neck so he could pick her up. By the time the four of them made it downstairs most of the force were gone, however fourteen children and their mother were waiting a few meters away from the yellow tape.

Sherlock placed Clara on the ground and began to introduce everybody, the other children swarmed her, welcoming her kindly and telling her about Sherlock and Mira, their 'Mum and 'Dad'. After a while Sherlock went back to John and Lestrade to watch the scene, obviously studying everybody's reactions to the new arrival.

"They are all like her aren't they?" Lestrade said finally, "Street kids and orphans you took in"

"Took your time figuring it out" Sherlock chuckled

"And Mira?"

"My friend who works in the soup kitchens, don't be fooled though, she loves all of them" Sherlock answered

"They don't call her mum for nothing" John added, "They all live in a small fixed up apartment complex not too far from Mira's. Mycroft pays the heating and water bills, they gather furniture themselves and occasionally stay at Baker Street or Mira's apartment"

"Is that safe?" Lestrade questioned

"I teach them to look after themselves, plus they have Gladstone and the best security system Mycroft can buy" Sherlock replied casually, "I wouldn't let anything happen to them"

"So, the whole Mum and Dad thing, that's not an act" Lestrade stated, "I could tell, especially with Mikey's accident a few weeks ago"

"It's their choice, I never forced them to say it" Sherlock shrugged as Dan, Nina and Natty dragged Clara over to the three men.

"And this is Uncles Lestrade and John" Natty smiled, "They help out all the time they are really nice but Lestrade's an idiot"

"Natty!" John scolded, Sherlock laughed.

"It's ok though because he is the least stupid of all the police officers" Natty continued ignoring the reprimand, Lestrade just sighed.

"Is Clara gonna stay with us tonight?" Dan asked

"If she choses to, but I think she should stay at Baker street for a while" Sherlock answered, "She's had a hard time"

"Can we go there now?" Clara asked tentatively, Sherlock nodded and scooped her up giving Lestrade a nod and indicating that John should hail a cab. Lestrade had absolutely no doubt that Sherlock Holmes was now not only a great man, but a good one as well.

...

Clara was nervous and quiet for the first day at Baker Street, she suffered from nightmares and screamed at the smallest amount of blood, forcing Sherlock to abandoned most of his projects and dispose of them. However he was very patient with the girl, he never left her alone for more than a few minutes, he read to her from John's blog and taught her various science tricks. The more he did the more enthralled the girl became with him.

While the trauma was still there after a few days her nightmares became less severe and she smiled more often. She was healing in that fast and special way that only children can. On the fourth day she started calling Sherlock Dad and John Uncle, Sherlock didn't even bat an eye lid. Two or three Irregulars came by every day, after a few they took Clara with them out on the down for the day, getting work and causing mischief. John had been hesitant about it, Clara wasn't a street kid yet, she could get hurt. However Sherlock simply smiled, nodded and went on with his chemical research. A few hours later a very happy and dirty Clara was returned to the house.

Slowly over the course of two weeks Clara stayed out longer with the Irregulars, even staying the night at Mira's once and spending her days on the town or at the Irregulars abode. Finally she moved out of Baker street and into the Irregulars Hotel as they called it, permanently. John found the girl endearing.

Clara Holmes, Irregular number fifteen.

**This is the piciture I found that most matched Clara as I imagine her:**

**http:/www(dot)dreamstime(dot)com(slash)royalty - free - stock - photo - little - girl - with - red - hair - in - hat - image12314405**


	30. Chapter 30: Joe

**I was planning Joe's backstory and I decided it was long enough to be almost a full chapter, so here we go!**

_Joe touched his cheek tenderly, it was still swollen and an awful shade of purple from the hit he had taken last night. Sure, the gang wasn't much of a family but it was better than being at home with a mother who was never sombre and a father who was never there. He got better food stealing from bins and open carts on the street. He was only ten, but he was accepted into the group._

_They were all teenagers or early twenties, he was just a kid and since he hadn't been initiated yet he was just a sort of helper. He stole and carried things for them mostly. In exchange they let him sleep in their warehouse in a large tractor tire he'd filled with blankets and discarded clothes and material. _

_He'd become one of those tough street guys, that everybody respected and feared. One day. Then he would be cool and tough. He had already learnt a lot from the gangs here, he'd tried smoking but it made him cough. A few of them smoked funny smelling things and injected themselves with stuff that made them act stupid and drunk. Joe decided to avoid that for now, at least until he commanded a little respect around here. Even with his knife not many people feared a ten year old boy. _

_Sometimes the other gang members found his 'spunk' as they put it, endearing, other times they hit him. He didn't mind though, he'd have to toughen up if he was going to live on the streets. _

_Right now he was in the alley, waiting for an easy mugging target, a woman or even a child would be better. Children were the easiest because his knife scared them off, though the fact that he was dirty and covered in cuts and bruises probably helped. _

_"Look at you!"_

_Joe couldn't help but look wistfully at the father praise his daughter on her new coat. The mother hugged her and the man picked her up, the little girl squealed. Joe looked away. He didn't want a family, he didn't, he could look after himself. He only joined or rather will join, that gang cause he needed a starting point. He didn't belong to anybody, he didn't need anybody either. He hoped somebody would wander down here alone soon, he was hungry and he couldn't rob that family. He just, couldn't. He considered going to pick pocket somebody but he hadn't eaten in a few days, his hands shook and he was too clumsy to steal._

_Finally after a few more hours, the sky was purple and the first few stars were beginning to appear. A man entered the ally. Alone. He would of preferred an easier target but he was too hungry to complain and the gang wasn't going to feed him. _

_"Why are you sitting down there?" asked the man , Joe blinked, he was hidden between some boxes and the dumpster, how did he know he was hiding there, no matter. He jumped out, aiming his knife at the man with an outstretched arm._

_"None of your business" He snapped, "Now gimmie your money!"_

_The man smirked and stepped forwards, Joe mentally slapped himself for taking a step back. Why did this guy have to be so tall._

_"I think perhaps you should go home" The an said calmly, "Get somebody to take care of those cuts and bruises"_

_"I don't need anybody" Joe snapped, "I take care of myself"_

_"I assume you try, though whether or not your succeeding is another thing entirely" The tall man smirked, "So, you take care of yourself by choice or necessity?"_

_"Choice of course!" Joe snapped, this man was so stupid, "I don't belong to anybody! I don't need anybody either"_

_"A runaway" It wasn't a question, "I suppose you're going to join a gang and then become somebody right?" _

_"Yeah" Joe replied, kinda creeped out that the man had figured it out._

_"Gangs take on kids like you for fun, they wont let you join" He continued, "Kids like you end up at the bottom of rivers or in jail for crimes they pin you on, no honor amongst thieves"_

_"What do you know" Joe gave him a jab which he dodged, quickly disarming him and pocketing his weapon. _

_"Hey!" Joe yelled leaping at him only to be stopped by one strong arm, "Let me go!"_

_"I know your type" The man sighed, "I can tell by the way you falter with the knife, how your hands shake and your eyes shift. You ran away, you have potential, you can be a good kid if you want to"_

_"Maybe I don't want to" Joe spat_

_"That's a lie" The man sighed, Joe hung his head, alright it was._

_"Well, I don't care" Joe said finally, "I'll show you..."_

_"Sherlock Holmes"_

_"Thats a stupid name"_

_"Really, what's yours"_

_"Joe"_

_"Short for Joseph I imagine"_

_"Imagine all you want, I'm going to find food"_

_..._

_A week later the gang had decided to initiate him. Joe hated it. Not just the 'initiation' but the fact that stupid Holmes guy had been right. They never were going to let him in, they simply circled around him and beat him senseless before dropping him in some dark back street, alone. Laughing at his stupidity. _

_He groaned, everything hurt, what wasn't bloody was bruised. He sniffed, ashamed to feel tears stinging his eyes. He wished he could go home. He wished he had a home to go to. He curled himself up against an old window sill and waited. He wasn't really sure what he was waiting for, police, help or death. _

_"I tried to warn you" Joe opened his eyes, it was Sherlock standing over him, "i've been keeping an eye out for when this would happen"_

_Joe just sniffed again and whipped his face he didn't want to listen to the man gloat._

_"Come on" He called gently, helping him to his feet, "Let's get you home"_

_Home?_

_Joe didn't speak on the way to Sherlock's apartment, he didn't speak when Sherlock cleaned or bandaged his wounds either, or when he ate and drank everything put in front of him. _

_Joe slept on the couch that night, when he woke up he was already there and quickly handed him a glass of water with two pills fizzing in the bottom. A few other kids were there, they looked at him with interest, so Sherlock had other kids? They left after a little while, Joe finally spoke._

_"Why are you helping me?" Sherlock chuckled_

_"You remind me of myself when I was your age" He said finally, "Wanting nothing to do with anybody else, trying prove you don't need anybody to look after you, snapping at anybody who offers you a hand" _

_"Were you on your own when you were a kid too?"_

_"In a way"_

"Joe you have been staring out that window all morning, are you alright?"

Uncle John's voice snapped the boys attention back into the present, he smiled and nodded, he was just as tall as John now, much to the older man's chagrin. They turned when Clara gave a shout, she was trying to reach the chemicals on the top shelf so she could mix them in the way Sherlock showed her, Joe laughed.

"Here Clara let me help you-"

"I can do it"

"Clara you're too small"

"So what?" She pouted, "I want to do it myself"

"Trust me when I was little I wanted to do everything myself as well" Joe grinned handing her the chemicals, "But sometimes you have to let other people help you, even if it's embarrassing or demeaning"

Clara made a face.

"Go on" Joe sighed, "You'll get it when your older"

**I've gone through and given all the chapters names so its easier to navigate :)**


	31. Chapter 31: Busted

To say that the night had been eventful would be an understatement. John had spent the last few hours running across London trying to catch a murderer with Sherlock. They would of lost him too had it not been for Gladstone scaring him out of his wits in an alleyway and forcing him to turn around. Mira, who had bought Gladstone, was the one to suffer the most. The man had turned on her ready to shoot, luckily Sherlock grabbed her by her shirt and pulled her out of the way, partially ripping the fabric in the process.

This had given John the time he needed, he aimed for the mans hand and fired, unfortunately the man had stumbled at the last second and the bullet went straight through his chest, with a terrible spray of blood. Some of which, soaked into what remained of Mira's clothes. It had taken Mycroft nearly a full minute to show up and clean up the mess. Now the three were heading back up the stairs of baker street.

"You should change" Sherlock pointed out, "You can borrow some of my clothes, John's would be too small for you"

"You may as well stay the night" John supplied, "Sherlock isn't going to be sleeping any time soon"

Mira nodded and headed off to Sherlock's room. John was just about to make tea when it happened. There was a loud knocking and suddenly a large group of Scotland Yard were running into the apartment. Apparently they had gotten wind of the nights events and now Lestrade had ordered one of his 'drug busts'. John groaned as Anderson, Donovan and Dimmok invaded the kitchen.

"I am clean!" Sherlock yelled in frustration, even though this wasn't a real drugs bust. Of course this didn't deter the members of Scotland Yard. Anderson was just about to invade Sherlock's room when Mira stepped out into the living room. She was wearing Sherlock's long sleeve purple shirt and a pair of black boxers, which was enough to stop all the male members of the room in their tracks anyway.

"Sherlock what the hell is going on?" She asked

"Drugs bust" John supplied, Mira rolled her eyes.

"Anderson, you're not on the drug squad" She noted, he just blinked at her, she sighed, "And I was about to get some sleep too..."

"Why are you in the freaks clothes?" Donovan gaped, John saw the slight glimmer in Mira's eyes, oh dear...

"Well, Sherlock ruined mine" She said as if it were the most casual thing in the world, turning to Sherlock, "I really liked that shirt too you know, there was no need to yank it quite so hard"

"You were being slow" Sherlock supplied. John held a hand over his mouth trying to suppress the grin that was forming. The faces of Scotland Yard were priceless, some look a little green in the face, possibly imagining Sherlock in 'the act' was too much to handle. He took a sip of tea to try and hide his face.

"Besides" Sherlock added noting John's expression, "John did more damage to your clothes than I did"

John spat out his tea in shock. Anderson actually dropped the cup of eyeballs he was holding, mouth hanging open.

"Now Anderson must you ruin my experiments" Sherlock frowned

"Sherlock!" John yelled, turning red from both embarrassment and anger.

"Well he does have a point" Mira added grinning like the cheshire cat.

John couldn't even form words he was so tongue tied, he ended up just sighing angrily and guzzling down half his tea.

"Well, I'm going to bed" Mira announced heading back to the bedroom, passing Anderson on the way, "You know, you really should close your mouth before I fly wanders in"

With that she tapped Anderson's chin closed and went into Sherlock's room to sleep. With that the drugs bust continued, but only for a few minutes. It seems Scotland Yard had forgotten the reason they had turned up[ and all filed out one at a time. As soon as the front door closed Sherlock burst into laughter. It was such a strange thing for Sherlock to do, not normal laughter either full on tears in the corner of the eyes, leaning against the wall for balance laughter.

John couldn't help it he laughed too. No doubt the next time they went to the police station he would hate both Sherlock and Mira but right no the whole situation felt remarkably funny.

**This is scraping the bottom of the barrel for me, I'm officially out of ideas! Prompts please!**


	32. Chapter 32: Food fight!

Prompt: Food fight in Tescos

Ever since the incident with the drugs bust John had been in a foul mood, meaning if Sherlock wanted nicotine patches, he actually had to get up and go to the shops himself. Grumbling the while way. Nina, Emily and Mason came with him, mostly because they knew Sherlock would buy them a treat if they did, he didn't mind really, the company was nice and he really didn't want to start bringing the skull.

Sherlock was never good at shopping, he had no idea how the place was organised wouldn't it be easier to have everything in the same place? He traipsed up and down the shops shelves trying to find his bloody patches. Then he got an idea, hoisting Mason up the boy climbed up onto the shelves where he could see the entire supermarket.

"Hey Dad, I think I can see the milk from here!" He called

"We're not looking for milk" Sherlock replied dryly

"Uncle John told us to make you get the rest of the shopping too" Mason replied

"Emily!"

That was Nina.

Sherlock turned to see Emily and Nina both holding a bag of flour, apparently fighting over it.

"This ones cheaper!" Emily argued

"Yeah but the blue one is better" Nina argued right back. Sherlock opened his mouth to tell them to stop before the bag ripped but it was too late, suddenly there was tearing paper sound and the bag burst in two, covering both girls in white powder. They blinked in shock for a few minutes before Nina launched herself at her sister. The two rolled around on the floor tugging at each other, Sherlock sighed, no wonder John hated shopping.

Mason then decided he wanted to get down from the top of the shelves, unfortunately climbing wasn't as easy as the boy anticipated and he slipped, resulting in him landing on a pyramid made of cans of long lasting cream. Spilling half of them all over himself and the girls who had rolled next to it.

"Hey!" Emily yelled, that temper would be her undoing one day…

She grabbed the first thing she could, which was a bag of bicarb soda and flung it at Mason, it exploded on impact. As retaliation, Mason grabbed a bag of sugar, opened it and dumped it over her head.

"Stop that!" Sherlock growled with a hint of frustration, "I'll have to pay for that!"

Emily grinned and responded by hurling a bag of flour which coated the detectives black hair and outfit nicely. Oh, that was it! It was good luck they were in the baking section. Sherlock grabbed a packet of eggs and raised his eyebrows at them. They gulped.

Soon enough there were eggs flying everywhere, the three children grabbed them as well, to be fair, Sherlock was a lot easier to hit, being so big, but he was sharp and soon all members of the party were thoroughly coated in every cake making item available. Nina even found an icing gun and put it to good use.

"Sherlock what the hell!"

The food fight stopped as Lestrade walked into what was left of the aisle. The kids all hid behind their father. Sherlock was suddenly very aware that everybody in the supermarket was looking at them; even John was there, gaping behind Lestrade.

"They started it!"

** Sorry this is so short, I wrote it in class ^^ tehe**


	33. Chapter 33: Car

**Prompt: Hit by a car**

Emily has a fiery temper, she always has. It didn't take much to set the girl off and she was quite a good fighter, even managed to give Joe a black eye once, Sherlock had grounded her to Mira's after that. Still secretly John thought Sherlock enjoyed the girls temper, it made for interesting arguments between father and daughter, which usually ended with Emily in a much better mood. Unfortunately this didn't count when it was Anderson arguing with the girl.

"We could do this without little kids running about the place" He complained, Emily stuck out her tongue.

"I managed to run over ten blocks, via rooftops and fire exits just to catch the guy!" She complained, "You couldn't do that!"

"You didn't 'catch' him you fell on him" Anderson snickered

"I jumped!" Emily growled, "I'm too small to knock him out any other way"

"Would you get lost kid, go back to your father" He growled getting sick of her

"You are such an ingrate!" She snarled, "I hope your wife figures out your cheating on her!"

"What?"

"It's SO obvious" She grinned, "I'm surprised she hasn't figured it out, then again, she must be pretty stupid, blind and deaf too, if she married you"

"Would you shut your trap!" Anderson snapped, "Of all you little horrors you have to be the most annoying, pretentious and rudest of them all. Go fade into the shadows where you belong! Nobody cares what you think!"

Emily gasped, blinking heavily.

"Well it seems making little girls cry has been added to your list of merge skills" John frowned putting an arm around the silently crying girl. Anderson's face flickered with guilt momentarily before setting back into annoyance, SHerlock, having noticed the commotion began to walk over. Emily snapped her eyes closed and ran away from Anderson, right into the road. Several things happened all at once, A car screeched it's tires, Emily screamed, there was a black bur that could of been Sherlock and his voice rang out silencing everything but the cars wheels.

"EMILY!"

The car collided, but not with Emily. At the last second Sherlock had grabbed her, hugging the girl against his chest protectively, the car hit Sherlock in the back, sending him flying. Still, the detective managed to turn and land on his back, despite the obvious pain it caused him, so the Emily was free of injury. They two slid across the pavement for a few meters before coming to a stop in the middle of the street.

"Sherlock!" John cried horrified, flashing back to 'The Fall' for a few seconds as he ran over to them. Wincing, Sherlock released the blonde girl from his hold, she had her hands over her mouth in shock.

"D-Dad?" She stammered, "I-I'm so sorry I didn't mean t-to"

It was the only time the little girl had been lost for words.

"Sherlock, are you ok?" John asked hurriedly, The man nodded and sat up slowly. John practically ripped the long coat off, great now people will defiantly talk, to inspect the mans back. He sighed in relief.

"Bad bruising, maybe a fractured rib or two, I'll bandage it when we get home" John sighed, "You were lucky, the car had almost stopped, if it had been going a few miles faster the damage could be worse"

"Emily?" He asked simply

"I'm fine Dad" She nodded, the detective's eyes flew over her form checking that she was telling the truth. He relaxed slightly when he discovered the girl was indeed fine, letting John helping him stand and walk back to to the curb and into a taxi. Glaring at Anderson the entire way.

...

As promised John bandaged his friend up, though it was only two broken ribs, he had to have most of his torso bandaged in order to keep the injured bones from shifting. Some of the white material even had to loop over one of his shoulder to hold it all in place, meaning it looked far worse than it was. Though he'd never admit it aloud his back was very sore and his skin was the deepest of purples, almost black. So much so that he had to lay on his stomach across the couch.

He managed to get enough pity from John to actually convince him to go and buy his nicotine patches, leaving the detective and Emily at Baker street. The girl knelt in front of the couch with her head down, looking ashamed. For once in her life she was silent, Sherlock could tell she felt guilty but he wasn't good with comforting words, well not often.

Instead he reached out and gently ruffled the girls hair, she just looked up at him, he gave her a soft smile which she returned. Knowing she was forgiven, Emily nestled herself against the couch, curled up half sitting, half leaning against the soft material and simply kept her father company.

_Emily had been in the foster system since she was two. She hated it, nobody wanted a fiery, viper tongued girl as a daughter. She'd tried being pleasant but she could never keep it up for long, people were just so stupid and infuriating. It made her want to scream. _

_So she ran._

_After a few days she knew nobody was coming for her, after all, they didn't really care about home kids. There was nobody to miss her. On her third day she was getting hungry however with no money and no skills she had no way of getting any food. SO she just walked. Eventually she came across a crime scene, some sort of robbery. Outside was a man in a black coat, arguing with some police officers. He yelled and raved and called them all idiots. She liked him. _

_The whole thing just seemed so funny she couldn't help but giggle, nobody heard, nobody except the tall man. At first she thought he would ignore her, most people do but then he started towards her, sure she was going to get yelled at, she bolted. Behind the dumpster in a near by side street. However within a few seconds the man was there, but instead of yelling, he handed her some bread. _

_"Run away foster child" He surmised, she almost dropped the bread._

_"Yeah, what of it?" She growled swallowing the last of the bread._

_"Nothing just observing is all" He grinned, "You look tired"_

_"Well I'm not" She lied_

_"Oh I'm sure" The man nodded walking off, "Of course if you are, you could come with me"_

_Emily would never do anything so degrading..._

_After a few seconds she started to follow, always staying at least five meters behind the man at all times until he walked into his flat. She hesitated, he could be some sort of mad man and she'd be walking into a trap...but she was so tried and hungry..._

_She walked inside and that day she discovered two things._

_Sherlock Holmes was indeed a raving mad man_

_2. She absolutely loved him for it_


	34. Chapter 34: Visiting

"You're a right pain you know" Sherlock sighed, "Making me walk out here"

"It's not exactly on my way or anything, I've always got to go out of my way, just to say hi"

"I don't see why you have to be here"

"I don't know why I bother either, I don't even know if you can hear me"

"Maybe this whole, talking, thing is for nothing and I'm actually just talking to a hole in the ground. I bet you would find that funny"

"Too immature you know, I should of taught you better"

"…"

"Alright well that's all I have to say this time, a lot more than usual I suppose"

_Sigh_

"I'll come back again next month, though for the love of me I don't know why I waste my time with this"

Sherlock blinked and sighed again, ignoring the very cool wind flowing around him, he could of pulled his coat closer to him but he didn't. Instead he placed a package on the ground.

"All the others got one, it only seems fair, sorry it took so long"

The package contained a blue scarf and black coat, size 12. Sherlock got back up, he didn't know why he bothered, more than likely somebody would see it and take it and even if they didn't, it was only going to get rained on.

Carefully Sherlock ran his fingers over the engraved letters a last time before turning to walk away.

"Take care Sam, I'll be back soon"

…

"Hello dear" Mira smiled sadly, "I see Dad was by and gave you your present"

"He thinks nobody knows he visits you once a month, he really is a brilliant idiot isn't he?"

"You have two new siblings, did dad tell you?"

"Cedric and Clara, they know all about you"

"He still eats white chocolate on your birthday too, we all do, well not John, he cant stomach the stuff, but if he could, he would"

"We all miss you so much sweetie, you were too brave for your own good"

" Well, I'd better be going, it will start raining soon, I'll come and see you soon"

"We love you Sam"

…

Sam didn't come down to Earth often, he stayed up in the big wide somewhere, he didn't really understand it. Today he had felt a lot of pulling though, somebody must have been talking to his grave. He was right, he sat and listened to his mum and dad, happy they came to see him, he even flew through the package, effectively replicating its contents, he liked the new coat and scarf, they made him feel like his dad.

He floated into Baker Street, Uncle John was drinking tea, he was always drinking tea, he was also playing with baby Cedric, Sam never met Cedric when he was alive, but he liked him.

His dad was passed out on the couch after not eating for four and a half days, Uncle John must have forced some soup down his throat and now he slept. He liked that. His dad worked too hard. The little ghost boy curled up by his dad's side, though Sherlock wouldn't feel him, or even know he was there, it was nice.

He'd go back upwards later.


	35. Chapter 35: Mum and Dad

**Originally I was going to ignore this but a lot of people have been asking for it. Just a reminder Sherlock and Mira have no romantic connection, they are just fiends, I don't like SherlockxOC cause its usually just somebody writing themselves into the story. I was worried cause too many chapters have been about her so far, but quite a few people wanted it, so here it is. **

**Prompt: Mira's back-story**

It was almost a full decade ago when Sherlock met Mira, for the first time. He paid her no heed really; she was just a woman who worked at a soup kitchen in a bad part of town. Nineteen, community college, liked carrots, long hair, green eyes. All information he swiftly deleted, simply walking around the kitchen looking for his dealer. He picked up his seven percent solution of cocaine and headed home, the girl in the kitchen not even a fleeting thought in his brilliant mind.

The second time they met was a little over two weeks later, Sherlock had just picked up another bottle of cocaine and turned to leave, finding the woman leaning against the wall, looking at him with a blank expression. He opened his mouth to snap at her, his patience had decreased as much as his anger had increased since he began using.

"What are you looking at?" He sneered coolly, the woman simply raised an eyebrow and let her eyes dance over him.

"Not much" She replied airily, he gave her a glance over. Not one of Mycroft's people.

"Go back to your lunch" He grumbled walking past her, noting the name tag, MIRA.

"How did you-?"

"Crumbs, on your shirt, you were eating a sandwich earlier were you not?" He snapped he walked away wanting nothing more to do with the irritating girl, however he did hear her reply.

"That's amazing you know that?"

…

He didn't see her again for another month; he had discovered something better than cocaine. Crime. The puzzles it presented, murders were the best, robberies were all right, everything else is dull. Lestrade, the detective inspector who had given him a break in the police force as a consultant, was a lifesaver, perhaps literally. There was one problem though, he refused to let Sherlock work while he was using. However, nobody, not even Sherlock Holmes, could predict when a criminal would strike. Meaning he had to be completely clean and that meant going cold turkey.

The first few days were not too bad, however after a while he was sorely tempted to head down to the soup kitchen to find his dealer. He persevered. By day three his joints began to ache and his temperature rose, so he spent most of his time draped across the couch in his apartment trying to will himself to move. Day five, his fever spiked, it was both a good and bad thing. By now he was desperate to get his hand on any form of cocaine he could, even powder, however the fever made him weak, he was left, suffering on the couch.

He wished for Mycroft, that was rare in itself. He wished for anybody to take away the pain he was suffering through. Then suddenly his forehead was cooling, somebody had placed a cloth over it. He blinked his eyes open, grey met green.

"Mira?"

"I'll hand it to you, not many people are strong enough to quit cold turkey" She sighed, handing him a glass fizzing with aspirin.

"It's the logical thing" He groaned, "What are you doing here?"

"When you didn't show up I got worried, after a few days a big black car came and picked me up and dumped me here" She snickered, "Sounds stupid I know"

"S'not" He slurred, "My brother, Mycroft…"

"One hell of a brother" She sighed, "You should know better than to try and go through the detox alone"

"I can handle it" He insisted, "You don't need to be here"

"Everybody thinks they can handle it alone, trust me, I know" She replied darkly, he didn't push the subject. So he let Mira stay, secretly he was glad to have somebody to wait on him. The next few days were by no means easy, however company did make it marginally better. Eventually though he could barely think straight, he needed cocaine and he needed it now!

"Mira let me out" He growled, she had locked the door and hidden the key somewhere while he was sleeping incase he tried to run, a good idea in retrospect.

"No" She replied curtly

"Mira!" He growled, "I said let me go!"

"And I said no" She countered, "The detox is almost over, in two days time you will be feeling fine"

"I could feel fine now if you let me go to my dealers" He pointed out, he was loosing his cool now, he was shaking.

"You're doing well Sherlock, don't give up now" She implored, she was just like his brother, so high and mighty! It made him sick. Mira was half a head shorter than him and considerably smaller in build, he could take her easily…

"Mira I'm warning you…" He threatened, "Give me the key"

"No" She dared looking him right in the eye.

Next thing he knew he'd grabbed her by the shoulders, effectively trapping her between him and the wall at arms length, he glared at her, she glared right back.

"I'm not afraid of you, Sherlock" She said finally.

Sherlock took a deep breath and released his hold, wandering back over to the couch and flopping down on it, feeling a mix of embarrassment and shame.

"Sorry" He muttered

"Don't worry, it'll all work out" She hushed, "You'll see"

…

Once he had started solving crimes for the yard he didn't see much of Mira. She left once she was happy that he wouldn't resort to cocaine again, she couldn't talk him out of nicotine patches though. Occasionally she would check up on him, he'd suspect Mycroft's influence except that Mira found him completely infuriating.

Not long after, Sherlock began to find the Irregulars, handing them over to Mira to feed. Originally they saw her more than him but eventually it became a sort of, partnership. They became 'Mum' and 'Dad' without even trying. Mira adored the kids, while Sherlock was more a cold fish, the love was there.

London's strangest family. With the most unlikely of parents.


	36. Chapter 36: Drugs

The flat was silent save the quiet clicking of John's fingers against lap top keys. He was writing up their latest case, stolen diamonds, it hadn't been particularly exciting but they hadn't had a case in almost a fortnight and Sherlock had been grateful for the distraction. The thundering sound of footsteps up the stairs made John jump. He recognised the steps as children, so it must have been the Irregulars, but there was a strange thumping, like somebody was being dragged as well, that was worrying. The door flew open just as Sherlock had gotten to his feet, Lisa flew across the room and jumped right into his arms, she was crying.

"Dad you gotta help him! Help him please!" She sobbed

John's eyes found Joe and Ricky supporting an unconscious Dan.

"He came home late looking all sick" Ricky supplied, "Then he just fell down and wouldn't wake up!"

"We've tried everything" Joe panicked. Sherlock as always stayed calm but his eyes were sharp and his face deadly serious.

"Lay him down on his side, on the couch" He ordered, he was using that strong tone that meant he was being completely serious, full on father mode had been activated.

"Look him over John"

The doctor knelt by the boys side first he checked his pulse, which he had expected to be light but instead he found it was racing. His skin was pale and cold with the exception of his face which was flushed and boiling, but for some reason the boy wasn't sweating as he should of. His breath was deep, but not clear and his wheezing increased with every breath. John bit his lip, he really hoped that for once he was wrong but as he pulled back the boys eyes it was all confirmed.

Dilated, unfocused eyes rolled back into his head, not seeing anything.

Drug overdose.

For gods sake! Dan was eleven! How did he even get his hands on anything? Well he needed help, so no point in lying to Sherlock, not that he could if he tried.

"Drug overdose" He sighed, Lisa gasped, "I'd say something fairly strong, cocaine or heroin are my first guess"

Sherlock made a sound that was somewhere between a growl, a sigh and a sob. He turned to the other three who had all paled.

"Go home, search the entire house, if you find anything, syringes, pills, powder, canisters, anything. Get rid of it" He ordered, they all nodded and flew out the door. Lisa paused to look back at Dan for a few minutes before biting her lips and running down the stairs after the others. Once they were gone the air seemed to electrify.

"Can you treat him here?" Sherlock asked hurriedly, John nodded.

"I've got charcoal pills in my medi bag but I don't know how many he will need" John replied getting up and collecting the bag from under the couch. It had been there ever since Sherlock had decided to throw knives at the wall the other day and cut his hand.

Sherlock lifted the unconscious boy up carefully, leaning him against the couch's arm, shaking him.

"Wake up for a moment, Dan" He called, "Come on…"

The boys eyes cracked open slightly, but John could see he wasn't aware, that didn't matter he didn't have to be. Quickly he dropped three charcoal pills in his mouth and made him swallow. He hoped it was enough.

Sherlock then laid him down, covering him with his coat, as there were no blankets in the immediate vicinity. John gathered up a cool cloth and water to try and induce sweating to flush out the fever. That's how it was all night, Sherlock sat by Dan, changing and re soaking the cloth and laying it against the boys head. By the early hours of the morning the fever had broken and soon we was sleeping normally. The pills had worked, the drugs was almost out of his system. Now they just had to wait for him to wake.

…

"Oh…My head…" Dan groaned, pressing his palms into his eyes. Sherlock stood over him, he'd sent John away, he wanted to talk to Dan himself.

"How'd I get here?" The boy muttered sitting up, or at least trying to before his aching muscles began to cramp and he was forced to lie down again, "Dad?"

"Yes" He said simply, "Riley, Joe and Lisa bought you after you collapsed last night. Drug overdose"

"What did you take?" Sherlock continued, Dan's eyes widened.

"I didn't mean to" He whispered, "I was, investigating…"

"Investigating what exactly?" Sherlock didn't mean to add the harsh tone to his voice but it just happened.

"If it's possible to navigate the city and get back home if I'm disoriented" Dan said pathetically, "When Joe got that fever in winter last year he couldn't even think straight or find his way home to get help, but I could"

"And what if you had been wrong?" Sherlock snarled, "What if you had collapsed in an alleyway?"

"But I didn't" Dan pointed out

"But you could of!" Sherlock yelled, "Do you not realise you could have died!"

Dan's nervous swallow showed he hadn't.

"Had John not had the proper medicine, or if your siblings hadn't bought you here in time you could be stone dead, right at this moment!" Sherlock growled, "What have I told you before about risks?"

"You take risks all the time!" Dan argued

"Necessary risk!" Sherlock countered, "This was not necessary Dan, it was stupid and arrogant"

"You're arrogant too!" Dan yelled

"I am intelligent!" Sherlock glared, "I know what my body can take, you're a child Dan, just a child and don't you forget that!"

Dan gave a frustrated yell and ran up to John's room, locking the door behind him. Sherlock could easily pick the lock to get in but he knew the window to John's room was deadlocked so he couldn't get out and John had his gun hidden in the strong box under a loose floorboard. Dan would be safe in there, so Sherlock decided to let both of them cool down.

…

When John returned from his walk Sherlock was still angry, he explained the argument and Dan's reasoning, not really giving John a chance to speak. He raved for a good five minutes about how stupid and dangerous the act had been, Sherlock hadn't shown this much emotion in a long time. Finally John left the detective to angrily pluck his violin strings while John went up tot his room. As expected the door was still locked.

"Dan, It's Uncle John"

No reply.

"Come on, let me in, I promise I wont yell at you"

Silence.

"Come on Dan, it's my room after all"

"Go away…"

"Let me in, I just want to talk to you"

After a few moments of silence he heard the lock click and the doctor slowly opened the door. Dan sat down on his bed against the headboard. His eyes were shining, but no tears were on his face. John sat down next to him and for a while they stayed in the quiet, the only sounds were of Sherlock's violin wafting up the stairs.

"Is…he going to get rid of me?" Dan said finally, that shocked John.

"Of course not" He replied

"He was really angry with me…"

"He was angry because he was worried" John smiled, "He could of lost you last night you know"

"I bet he'd trade Sam for me if he could" Dan's voice cracked, "Sam would be better"

"Dan, Sherlock cares about you, he'd never send you away" John implored

"I just wanted to prove I was strong and smart like he is" Dan looked away but John saw the solitary tear run down he cheek.

"Dan, you're young, everybody makes mistakes, especially as a kid" John insisted, "IU know I did"

"I bet dad didn't" Dan said bitterly, John chuckled, "Trust me, you and your father are a lot alike, Sherlock made plenty of mistakes, trust me"

"Really?" Dan questioned, whipping his face, he looked bewildered that the idea of Sherlock Holmes making mistakes.

"Really" Sherlock confirmed apparently materialising in the doorway, "John, perhaps I should speak to Dan now"

John nodded and left the two alone, knowing full well what story Sherlock was going to tell.


	37. Chapter 37: Drugs II

**I wasn't intending to continue this, which is why the first chapter is so long. But people really wanted to hear what Sherlock said so here you go.**

"I wont do it again" Dan said as John left the room, bring his knees up to his chest and resting his chin on them, "I promise"

"You need to be careful" Sherlock nodded sitting down next to him, "These things can take over your life without you even noticing"

"I've seen addicts Dad I live on the street" Dan didn't look at him, Sherlock knew any other time he would of added, 'I'm not an idiot you know'.

"You don't live on the street" Sherlock corrected

"You know what I mean" He muttered, "Point is I know getting involved with that kinda thing is bad, I dunno why I thought it was a good idea but it made sense at the time"

"It often does" Sherlock agreed, "You don't want that life, believe me I know"

"You've seen it too?"

"I've lived it" Sherlock admitted after a few seconds, Dan's eyebrows shot up into his hair.

"So has your mother, but she was not nearly as bad as me" Sherlock continued, not really caring. He'd never kept his past a secret from the kids on purpose, it just, never came up.

"You were a druggie?" Dan gaped, Sherlock nodded.

"Seven percent solution" Sherlock drawled, "It's actually how I met your mother, though she was clean by then, helped me get clean as well. That was almost ten years ago now when your mum wasn't much older than Joe"

"So, you've got a lot of experience with it?" Dan mumbled

"Years, the worst years believe me" Sherlock sighed, "Haven't touched the stuff in a long time, it was something I had hoped to keep you all sheltered from"

Dan snickered.

"Good luck" He chuckled, Sherlock smiled.

"Was mum into cocaine too?" Dan asked, looking curious. Other children might of been nervous about such a question but bashfulness was not common among the Irregulars.

"I don't know" Sherlock admitted, something that didn't happen often, "I never asked and I don't think you should either"

"Right" Dan nodded. Sherlock ruffled his hair and stood.

"We'd better give John his room back don't you think?" Sherlock suggested, Dan hopped up and headed towards the living room when Sherlock stopped him.

"You do realize your grounded for at least three months right?" Sherlock raised an eyebrow.

"Aw man!"


	38. Chapter 38: Always

**I was on the bus when this song "You'll be in my heart" Came on my ipod and it really reminded me of this story and I came up with a new drabblish thing for each verse of the song so here they are.**

**These are ALL flashbacks, the verse that inspired them is above each piece.**

**Art for this chapter: Retsin The Baker Street Irregulars on DeviantArt**

_Come stop your crying_

_It will be all right_

_Just take my hand Hold it tight_

_I will protect you_

_from all around you_

_I will be here_

_Don't you cry_

_For one so small,_

_you seem so strong_

_My arms will hold you,_

_keep you safe and warm_

_This bond between us_

_Can't be broken_

_I will be here_

_Don't you cry_

Dan hated crying. It made his through hurt and his eyes sting but he couldn't help himself. He was six years old, he'd lost both his parents in a car crash and now he faced the harsh reality that nobody in the world wanted him. He tried being friendly but none of the people who came to the orphanage liked him, he wasn't clever or athletic, he was just, Daniel.

So he ran away. Nobody looked for him, why would they? So here he was, sitting on the ground under a tree in the park, crying like a baby. What was so wrong with him? He just wanted a family again, he could barely remember his first one and by the looks of things, he'd never get another. Suddenly he felt somebody lightly holding his hand and pulling him gently off the ground to his feet. He blinked to clear his blurry vision and saw a man kneeling in front of him.

"You look lost" He said simply

"I'm not, I don't have anywhere to go back to" Dan sniffled, "So I can't be lost"

"On your own?" The man replied, he sounded like he had heard this before.

"I don't have anybody" Dan whispered, "Nobody wants me"

The man stood up and offered him his hand, Dan blinked, why was he helping? He didn't even know his name.

"Well?" The man asked, Dan gripped his hand. Even if this man was a bad person, it was better than another lonely, cold night alone. They walked through the park and through the streets, people looked at him holding the man's hand. They thought he was his son and suddenly he realized he liked that idea. When the man took him home he was delighted, an old woman named Mrs. Hudson fed him and the man, whose name was Sherlock, let him sleep in his bed. For the first time in what seemed like forever, Dan felt happy. And Wanted.

_Why can't they understand_

_the way we feel?_

_They just don't trust_

_what they can't explain_

_I know we're different but,_

_deep inside us_

_We're not that different at all_

"What the hell is going on?" Anderson gaped, his lab, HIS crime lab, was full of children. Six of them in fact. Sherlock Holmes sat at one of the desks smugly, eyes twinkling.

"Lessons" He said simply turning to the boy next to him, "Ricky, add the solution now"

The boy used an eye dropper to add a few drips of clear liquid to one of the petri dishes of blood, it fizzed and bubbled up, instead of horror the boy grinned.

"Now, what does that tell you?" Sherlock asked him

"That this blood...was frozen at some point" Ricky said carefully, "Meaning...it's probably from the hospital and that means that the other dish is your blood, not this one"

"Very good" Sherlock replied, he didn't smile or even sound happy but for some reason the boy acted as if Sherlock had rained flowers over him, "Halie, how are you doing?"

A dark haired girl in gloves turned, she was holding a variety of small bones.

"This one is chicken" She said holing up one, "This one if from a frog but I don't know about this one..."

"Joe, help your sister" Sherlock orderer off handily, going over to a small blonde girl who was currently boiling some chemical in a beaker.

"It's from a fox Halie" Joe snickered, "Surely you can tell"

Halie pouted, "Shut up, just cause I forgot..."

"This is sick!" Anderson yelled, all the children turned to look at him, "You're teaching them how to identify bones and play with blood! It's completely sick! These are kids you freak, not your own personal detective agency"

"I teach them what is useful" Sherlock shrugged ignoring him and turning back to the blonde girls chemicals, which were turning green.

He opened his mouth to shout again but he was met with a synchronized yell from all of the kids.

"Shut up Anderson, you lower the IQ of the entire street!"

_Don't listen to them_

_'Cause what do they know_

_We need each other,_

_to have, to hold_

_They'll see in time_

_I know_

_When destiny calls you_

_You must be strong_

_I may not be with you_

_But you've got to hold on_

_They'll see in time_

_I know_

_We'll show them together_

The year their father was 'dead' was extremely difficult. Of course John suffered more than they did, but the children still missed their father terribly. They saw the glances and laughs when they walked everywhere hand in hand, when they clung to one another, just to assure themselves they were not alone. They didn't like to go anywhere alone, unless they were showing up Scotland Yard. That's why they decided to start 'The Movement'. It had been Natty's idea, she was re-reading The Blind Banker case and taken an interest int he graffiti. It had displayed such emotion and spread an important message, they could do the same.

Discreetly they all bought the same yellow spray cans and then, took to the streets. Their father may not of been with them, but they would show the whole world they believed in him with all their hearts. They would hold on until he got back, they would be strong. They would convince all of London, all of the world, that Sherlock Holmes was a hero. It didn't take long to get John to join them, then Lestrade, soon people they didn't even know were part of it.

The day they saw the words 'It's Showtime!' scrawled across Scotland Yard was the happiest they had ever experienced. Their father was back! They were going to prove him innocent, together.

_'Cause you'll be in my heart_

_Yes, you'll be in my heart_

_From this day on,_

_Now and forever more_

_Oh, you'll be in my heart_

_No matter what they say_

_You'll be in my heart, always_

_Always_

_I'll be with you, I'll be with you always_

_Always and always_

_Just look over your shoulder,_

_Just look over your shoulder,_

_I'll be there, always..._

John didn't often go through Sherlock's things, in fact, he was a little frightened of what he might find. He'd never forget the fright he'd gotten when he opened an old box to find it full of finger bones, an experiment he'd forgotten about apparently. However, today he'd gone into the detectives room in order to look for his shirt, which Sherlock had stolen, again, for an experiment. While checking under the bed, he saw it, a leather bound book with gold trim. It was vaguely familiar. He remembered it being in the small bag of things Sherlock had taken with him on his travels dismantling Moriarty's network, he'd never asked what it was. He'd figured it was notes on various things, but then, why would he keep it?

John flipped open the front page and his mouth opened a little in shock, it was a photo album. The pictures ranged from amazing, digital quality to small slightly blurry photos, obviously taken while moving or with a camera phone.

Sherlock and Mira, frozen mid way through a mock fight, the Irregulars in the background yelling and cheering.

Marie, Lisa and Nina all reading, Marie's book was upside down.

John sitting at his desk with Mason climbing over his shoulders to look at the screen.

An Irregular's birthday.

Natty holding Sherlock's violin, her tongue sticking out in concentration.

Lestrade and Molly talking at the Christmas party.

The photo of Sherlock and the kids from the paper the first time the media discovered them.

The detective sitting at the kitchen table, one palm cupping his check as he leaned against the table. The other focusing the microscope for an excited Dan.

Mira asleep on the couch.

Both John and Sherlock slumped over the desk on either side, fast asleep.

John holding Cedric.

Sam sitting with Sherlock as he played his violin.

John and Sherlock laughing at some long forgotten joke, one of the army doctors arms around Sherlock trying to support him as they leaned over from laughing too much.

It went on. Sherlock had opened this book many times, he could tell from the frayed and yellowing paper and the fact that sticky tape held some pages in. The occasional comment was scribbled by some of the photos in the detectives hand writing, mostly reminders to himself for when he got back.

_Make sure to teach Joe how to track..._

_Make sure Cedric is learning proper english_

_Make sure Mira is getting enough sleep_

_Tell John to stop taking so many shifts at the hospital._

John couldn't help but laugh a little, how could ANYBODY possibly think this man was a psychopath? Or a sociopath, it just didn't work.

**The photo of Mira and Sherlock fighting was inspired by the fanart "Commission 9: Kiss with a fist" by Cobyfrog on DeviantART with Mira in Watsons place**


	39. Chapter 39: Scream I

**A heap of people sent me prompts that involved killing another Irregulars. As much as I love to write whump (Gee I wonder if anybody noticed... :P) I think killing Sam was bad enough, so I went with something a little different.**

There are very few sound in the world that can tear a soul apart, John Watson could only name a handful and right at the top was the sound of Sherlock screaming. He'd heard Sherlock yell before, in anger or pain but never full on scream. Not like tonight.

They were on a low profile case, busting up some drug ring. The Irregulars had been invaluable as helpers, pretending to play on the street while secretly listening into the alley ways, getting all the times and dates of drug drop offs. They had been spectacular. They had made their way to the house the users were squatting in, every room was filled with chemicals, beakers, bunsen burners and all kinds of tubing. Powders and pills covered every surface, some kind of factory for narcotics.

Natty slipped inside, planning on using a small cam corder to get the evidence needed for a warrant, she was the only one small enough to get into the house undetected. All the junkies were either asleep, passed out or too high to notice the sneaky little girl as she made her way through the house. Sherlock had been about to say something to John when the entire house went up in flames, fire burt from every window.

"Natty NO!"

Sherlock had never made such a strangled scream, not in the time John had known him anyway, the man looked completely horrified, frozen in fear. For a few seconds neither man could move they were too in shock. Then everything blasted into focus and John whipped out his phone and dialed Lestrade, he couldn't remember clearly what he had said now, only that they would need medical support and to get there fast. Sherlock had already taken off and jumped through the broken window of the house, ignoring the fact that the smashed glass cut into his hands.

John followed, a bit more carefully, it was only later when forensics were done that he learnt it was a bunsen burner which had not been shut off properly that caused the fire. The flame was out but the gas was not and the house had filled with it, nobody would notice over all the other stenches, so, when a man went to light another joint, boom.

Sherlock paid the bodies of the junkies no heed, his eyes were searching frantically for Natty's blonde curls. It took a few minutes for Lestrade to arrive, by then John was sure Sherlock was in a stage of panic. They had searched all the rooms but half of them were filled with debris, she could be buried goodness knows where. Suddenly the walls began to creak.

"Sherlock this place could come down on top of us" John had warned, Sherlock didn't respond, most likely he didn't care. The creaking continued until several charred planks fell off the wall, sending black dust swirling into the air, making everybody cough. The dust cleared to reveal a very stunned Natty, who had apparently been hiding in the wall until this point, coughing her guts out. From what John could see she had several cuts and bruises but was free of serious injury, though he didn't get long to look as Sherlock had swooped her up in his arms holding her to his chest tightly.

"Natty, oh Natty thank God..."

It had taken some gentle persuasion from John to get Sherlock to let go and let the ambulance take the girl to hospital, she was barely conscious, most likely went into shock.

So here they were, outside a room in a white corridor at St. Bats, Sherlock was sitting with his head in his hands, effectively ignoring the world around him. Even Anderson looked sorry for him, the forensics officer had nothing kind to say though, so he said nothing. Finally, a doctor appeared from the room. Sherlock shot to his feet.

"From what I can tell, one of the men woke up and the girl managed to get one of the wall planks loose and hide within the walls, the explosion went off a few seconds later" The doctor said, for some reason he sounded grave, Sherlock was becoming impatient John could tell.

"She had no serious physical injury, a few burns and cuts-" The doctor continued

"Can I see her?" Sherlock interrupted

"Well, yes but before you do-" The doctor tried but Sherlock had already pushed past and practically dove inside Natty's room, John gave a small apologetic smile before following him. Natty sat on the bed in a white scrubs, her knees against her chest and arms wrapped around them. Her eyes shone. John saw a pad by her scrawled with her handwriting, telling the story the doctor had just relayed. Why-?

"Natty how are you feeling?" Sherlock asked, Natty burst into tears, Sherlock was taken aback.

"I tried to warn you" The doctor sighed

"What's wrong with her?" Sherlock growled

"Well, the wall protected her but she was very close to the explosion..."

"Get to the point!"

"Spit it out" John added feeling himself getting agitated.

"The explosion was small, but loud" The doctor replied, "From what tests we have been able to run, it appears she's been rendered completely deaf"

Natty sobbed as she watched the argument take place, John couldn't help but look at the girl with pity, Sherlock just looked shocked and, wait, not frightened. Sherlock Holmes didn't get scared, right?

"I'm s-sorry" Natty blubbered

Sherlock's face softened and he leant over her till he was at eye level, lifting her chin with his hand, he gave her a small smile. She tried to returned the favor but ended up crying again.

"She's taking this very badly" John sighed, "Cant say I'll blame her"

"it's not just that" Sherlock replied picking her up and rocking her slight to help her calm down, "She's worried I'll get rid of her now"

"What? Why?" John scoffed, Sherlock would never do that.

"She fears she isn't useful anymore" Sherlock sighs, "All the Irregulars have abandonment issues, Natty is no exception"

Of course, that did make sense.

"I'll stay here tonight" She announced after a while of rocking Natty, the girl was nodding off at least, "I'll bring her home tomorrow"


	40. Chapter 40: Scream II

Natty recovered quickly, Sherlock spent most of his time teaching her the art of reading lips, which she had a knack for. John even taught her her some basic sign language he'd picked up in Afghanistan. Within the week Natty could hold a conversation with somebody aloud, as long as they were facing her directly, Sherlock would never admit it but he was proud.

One thing he was not happy about was the sudden change in personality, before, Natty had been loud and rambunctious, she was never quiet. If she wasn't talking she was singing, if she wasn't singing she was humming. Now, she didn't make a sound unless somebody spoke to her. However her curious nature was not gone, she still played with his chemicals and generally made a mess of his experiments, she was just, quiet.

He had of course looked into other solutions; Natty wouldn't be eligible for a bionic ear for at least another year. When he asked her she had beamed, nodding quickly. That didn't distract from the fact that she wouldn't hear a thing for at least a year. Sherlock felt guilty, even though he knew nobody blamed him, except perhaps Anderson but who gives a dam what he thinks? It didn't stop the kids wanting to help on cases either, though Sherlock did his best to deter them, only giving the simplest and safest assignments he could.

Sighing Sherlock rolled onto his back; he'd been curled up on the couch all day. John thought he was bored but in reality the detective was still thinking of some way to return Natty's hearing. The girl in question looked at him and blinked, she was deducing.

"Sherlock you really should go to bed" John sighed, "You've been laying there all day and don't lie to me, I know you haven't been sleeping"

"Later" Sherlock rebutted, his eyes widened when the sound of the violin met his ears. John's did as well, his eyes fixed on something to the left. Sherlock followed his eye line to Natty who was playing his violin, very well in fact. Natty had little talent for the violin before, but now, she was playing a low, melodic tune as easily as she mixed chemicals. With her eyes closed no less. It had little tune, but plenty of feeling, he was sure Natty was making the song up as she went along.

"I can feel it" She smiled, not opening her eyes or ceasing the song, "The vibrations when I play. It's hard with the high notes though"

Sherlock smiled, there was no point speaking, Natty wouldn't know with her eyes closed. Usually he didn't let the children touch his violin for too long but Natty was being careful enough, plus she deserve a little treat after all she had been through.

Content for the first time since the accident Sherlock let himself sink into the warm couch cushion and let his brain switch off. He fell asleep listening to Natty play.


	41. Chapter 41: The Monster

_Come to the station. Urgent. GL_

Sherlock had jumped at the text, they had been case-less for a week no and Sherlock had started shooting the walls again. Well only once, John had hidden his gun after that and Sherlock couldn't be bothered finding it. The two were in a cab on their way to scotland yard within minutes.

When they got there they were lead into Lestrade's office, the DI was sitting at his desk looking annoyed, in front of it sat a woman in a huge fur coat and thick make up. John almost gaged at the strength of her perfume. Sherlock stiffened when he saw her, she narrowed her eyes at him.

"As I assume you know, this is Belinda Tiller" Lestrade sighed, John could tell by his tone the woman had not given a good first impression to the inspector. He practically said her name through his teeth.

"I'm here to have you arrested" Belinda said simply to Sherlock

"For what?" John asked disliking the woman more and more with every second.

"For kidnapping" She replied, "He took my daughter"

"I did nothing of the sort" Sherlock defended stiffly, "I found your daughter, starving to death in an empty house"

"You took her from me" Belinda argued, though her smooth icy tone never raised.

"I offered her a better home, she could leave any time she wanted to, it was her choice" Sherlock growled.

At that moment the door opened and some nameless officer lead in Lisa. In her hands was a small typed up note telling her to come to Scotland Yard. The little girl glanced at all the faces in the room, paling when they landed on the woman before turning to Sherlock with a face that was a mixture of betrayal and accusation.

"You promised!" She cried at Sherlock

"I didn't call her here Lisa, she invited you not me" Sherlock replied smoothly, Lisa visibly relaxed before running over to John and hiding behind him.

"Will somebody please explain" Lestrade ordered

"What is there to explain?" Belinda asked standing, he kidnapped my daughter" She seethed, "I want him arrested and my daughter returned to my custody"

"I did not kidnap her" Sherlock stated again.

"Alright, alright" John held up his hands trying to disperse the tension, "Sherlock tell your side of the story then"

So he did.

_Sherlock cursed as he walked through the large garden of the private property. He'd chased his thief through here and somehow lost him in the hedge maze, why do people even have those anymore? Apparently the house was abandoned for now, the owners on holiday of some kids by the looks of it, so he made his way to the side entrance, meaning to leave via the front gate rather than running through the hedge fence like when he had entered. _

_He stopped, somebody was coughing. A young somebody._

_Curiously he peered inside, there was a girl in an intricate white dress sitting on the floor of a large sitting room, curled up in a ball. Suspicious, Sherlock made quick work of the lock and opened the window, the girl turned and weakly stood up, only to fall over. Still frightened she shuffled backwards to get away from Sherlock. _

_"Are you here all alone?" Sherlock asked glancing around the room, the girl didn't answer. Sherlock noticed she looked half starved, mentally thanking Mira for the biscuits she had made him take a few days ago he reached into his pocket and retrieved the small packet, tossing them to the girl, who devoured them like a wild animal. _

_"I'm sorry I don't have anymore, but I could get you some" Sherlock offered indicating to the window, "Why are you in here anyway?"_

_"Mama locked me in here" The girl answered standing up and managing to stay on her feet, "She has gone away and didn't want me to mess up the house"_

_"Didn't she leave you with a baby sitter or something?" Sherlock's eyebrows knitted together, she shook her head. _

_"Mama says it's a waste of money" She replied looking at the floor, "She says I am to stay in here and not touch anything. She was supposed to be back three days ago, but I guess she forgot me. Again"_

_"Again?" Sherlock questioned, beginning to get angry, "How often does she go away?"_

_"Every few weeks" She sniffled_

_"Come on" Sherlock offered kindly holding out his hand, "Let's get you fed ok?"_

_"Okay...I'm Lisa" Lisa introduced as Sherlock helped her out the window._

_"Sherlock"_

_It took a month for Belinda to even realize Lisa was gone, when Lisa returned home it was not with welcome arms but a slap to the face and a heavy yelling session. It took her a full hour to decide to leave again, running back to Sherlock. Who welcomed her back happily, promising never to let 'that monster' near her again. No missing persons report was filled, in fact, Lisa's mother never even looked for her._

"This is the first time in years you have even shown any interest in her" Sherlock finished, "I will not turn her over to you"

"Lisa, come here now!" Belinda ordered

"No, why do you even want me back now after all this time?" Lisa shrunk back, clinging to John.

"Because the CEO of the bank of London has a son a few years your senior" Belinda replied, "A simple marriage arrangement will ensure that we are never short od money again"

"She's just a kid she can't get married!" John exclaimed

"Of course not but it can be set up" Belinda smirked as if John was some idiotic child.

"You only want her back, so you can ensure you have plenty of money from a son in law?" Lestrade gaped

"Well she has no other logical purpose" Belinda shrugged

"That is where you are wrong" Sherlock cut in, "She is intelligent, logical and brave. She's been an invaluable assistant to me"

Lisa beamed, finally letting go of John and standing at Sherlock's side proudly.

"You can't just make kids your little minions" Belinda spat

"She isn't a minion" Sherlock replied cooly.

"You said so yourself" Belinda proclaimed proudly, "You said as much, your 'assistant'"

"Yes but she is more than that" Sherlock defended placing an arm lightly on Lisa shoulder, "She's my daughter"

"We will see" Belinda threatened, "My lawyer will be in touch"

She stormed out of the room, Lisa pulled herself closer to Sherlock as if she were afraid the woman would snatch her up.

"She's not going to take me is she?" Lisa asked Sherlock worriedly after the door closed.

"No" Sherlock replied calmly, "She can get an army of lawyers, but none of them could beat Mycroft's influence"

"Yeah don't worry Lisa" John said fondly, "You're not going anywhere"

"Good"

**Lots of people wanted to see this so here it is.**

**Also, new Sherlock video! I'm dying to get some comments and views on it so if you wouldn't mind I'd love to hear your thoughts ^^ It's called "Sherlock - For Good" by yugiohlorie. I just uploaded it to youtube. **

**Also a quick note, I don't write slash so there will be no JohnxSherlock here. **


	42. Chapter 42: Rings

The case had been an interesting one, children going missing from a high class priory school in East London. However, only exceptionally bright ones. Sherlock had taken an interest and getting into the school was surprisingly easy. Two cheap wedding bands quickly transformed Sherlock and Mira into Mr and Mrs. James, looking to enroll their very bright son and daughter Carlo and Halie, of course their private doctor came with them. After all, such a wealthy family could not have some stranger treating their children.

It turned out to be the schools gardener who was kidnapping the children, all the brightest ones figured out he was stealing from the facility. Hence, it learnt them a one way trip to the basement of his house. They had only just gotten home when Sherlock received another text from Lestrade about a series of break ins. Of course Sherlock accepted and grabbed John, speeding off to the Police station. Carlo followed in the cab while Mira and Halie went home.

"I wanna watch you work" He insisted

"You were with us on that entire case" Sherlock pointed out, "You just want to mess up Anderson's desk, again"

"Yeah alright" Carlo admitted

"Make sure you do a good job, it only took him an hour to fix it last time" Sherlock added, Carlo nodded sending his curls bobbing up and down. John couldn't help but be reminded of an energetic poodle.

As usual, Lestrade, Anderson and Donovan were waiting for them in the briefing room, Sherlock sent Carlo off under the pretense that he wait in the hall. However he knew the boy was heading straight for Anderson's desk to cause mischief.

"Well, what have you got for me?" Sherlock asked, Lestrade slid the folder over to him, it contained several photos of shops, notes and statements.

"Break ins, all over town, shop, museums and galleries. All being broken into and nothing is being taken" Lestrade explained, "The only thing the perp leaves, is a note explaining how they did it and telling the owners how to improve their security"

"Bad samaritan?" John supplied bemused, Sherlock began to shuffle through each note, speed reading them before holding up the photos to the light. Anderson yelped.

"Problem officer?" Lestrade asked, John snickered at the look of shock on the forensic officers face.

"Ring!" He announced pointing to Sherlock's hand. The gold band from the case was still on it.

"You're wearing a wedding ring!" Sally cried, John shot Lestrade a look that meant he would explain later.

"Yes, brilliant deduction" Sherlock mused, moving onto the other photos as Carlo entered the room. The smile on his face indicating his work at Anderson's desk was over.

"Ah Carlo just in time" Sherlock grinned, "As proud as I am that you all pulled this off please refrain from doing it in the future"

"We did good didn't we" Carlo grinned, "Halie did the museum one all by herself!"

"I'm sorry what?" Anderson interrupted

"Isn't it obvious?" Sherlock sighed

"The kids are behind the break ins" John sighed as it clicked into place, "Sherlock's kids, they are helping London's security systems one place at a time"

"Small enough to fit into blind spots on cameras, genius father..." Lestrade mused, "Makes sense"

"That makes them all criminals" Sally growled

"What will you charge them with?" Sherlock asked

"Not breaking and entering, we disabled the security and walked in" Carlo smiled, "We didn't take anything either, no damage cause, if anything we helped"

Donovan bit her lip, Carlo smiled in success before turning to Anderson.

"Do you speak Mandarin Chinese?" He asked

"Uh, no"

"Oh well good luck getting your files back in order" He grinned

"You changed the language on my computer to Mandarin?" Anderson yelled

"Rearranged and THEN changed the language" He answered smugly.

"Why you little-"

Anderson made a grab for the kid but missed as Sherlock quickly pulled him back out of the officers reach.

"Really Anderson, beating children?" Sherlock mused

"He deserves a black eye" Donovan muttered

"Sherlock would kill you" John snickered

"Oh no John" Sherlock replied dryly, "I'd do something worse than that"

"Oh really?" said Anderson sarcastically, "What would you do?"

"I'd make you explain to my wife why her son had a black eye" Sherlock replied simply, holding up his hand to show off the ring, "And Mira fights dirty"

Lestrade and John burst into laughter, it was a good thing Donovan and Anderson were thick or they might of figured out why they were really laughing.

"My mum would kick you ass!" Carlo grinned


	43. Chapter 43: The Riddle

Sherlock always slept sporadically, most often for only 2-4 hours at a time, unless there had been a particularly trying case. Today he had woken at 5am and gotten to work on an experiment, by 9am he was beginning to get bored and decided it was about time John woke. So, picking up his violin, he began to play, very loudly. Usually it only took a maximum of ten minutes for John to come stomping down the stairs complaining of a racket but today a full fifteen minutes past and still nothing.

Suspicious Sherlock knocked on his door. Silence, he opened it, John's room was empty. Where the sleeping doctor was supposed to be, there was an envelope. Quickly he opened it and reached inside, revealing a letter.

**Tick-tock goes the clock!**

**You have until 6pm to find us. Yes, us. Look downstairs you will find Mrs. Hudson is gone too. Lestrade is here and so is Mira and the Irregulars. And John of course. **

**We even got Mycroft. **

**Have fun playing this little game, here is your clue.**

**We have taken a doctor, an old woman, a police man, a politician and a family. Where oh where could all these things possibly belong together?**

**And don't worry no harm will come to anybody, we just want to see if you can solve a little puzzle is all.**

Sherlock felt his heart beat begin to rise in excitement, a good puzzle hadn't come along in ages. Of course he had a niggling doubt that who ever this was could be lying about bringing harm to his friends and brother but it didn't stop the excitement.

Upon examination the envelope and paper were from Mycroft's desk at the Diogene's club, the pen used was a simple, black ink one found at any shop. The handwriting was simple and obviously disguised so there was no point in deducing anything about it.

Next came the order, doctor, old woman, policeman, politician and a family. Where would all these things co-inside? This group was obviously clever, perhaps even smarter than Moriarty, seeing as they managed to capture Mycroft.

Many places shot into his head over the next few hours,

Parliament, no too obvious and where would they hide all those people?

Nursing home, again not enough room and no place for a politician

Abandoned police station, plausible but politician and family didn't fit.

Hospital, too conspicuous

He spent near the entire day pacing, thinking and slapping nicotine patches on his arms. He was beginning to get frustrated, eh needed John, John wasn't a genius but he had this amazing ability to make it activate within the detective. He continued to pace, it was 5pm before he realized it. His excitement was beginning to turn to frustration, these people couldn't beat him! That's when it clicked.

The Saint Patricks Complex!

Once the St Patrick's pediatric Hospital (doctor, family) up until a few years ago when it began to fall behind on occupational health and safety. An elderly nurse (old woman) fell down the stairs and died instantly, the woman's son was furious. He kicked up such a fuss that police finally pressed so many charged the hospital was forced to close (policeman). Now the complex had been converted into a high end set of rooms and offices used for political gatherings and diplomat parties. (Politician)

It all fit!

Dashing out the door and hailing a cab Sherlock rubbed his hands together energetically. He'd won, now he just needed to get there before 5pm and find out who this mystery group was. It was quarter to when he walked into the air conditioned building, plenty of time. Calmly he pressed the button for the top floor, where the bigger rooms were and headed up. With all those people they would need a big room. As suspected when he left the elevator there was a paper sigh hanging from on of the two doors.

**Come on in Sherlock**

He opened the door to reveal the Irregulars, John, Lestrade, Mira, Mycroft and Mrs. Hudson all standing in front of a large business table, nobody else in sight.

"Took your time" Mycroft mused, "I was expecting you here an hour ago"

"Told you we didn't need to rush" Ricky grumbled elbowing Joe.

"What?" Was all that Sherlock could manage, what the hell was going on.

"Oh, seems he missed a bit" Lestrade laughed, the others joined in as they watched the detective take in all of the old "I believe in Sherlock Holmes" posters covering the walls.

"We figured you like them more than balloons" John snickered

"We decided it was the best present dad" Marie smiled hugging him, "You like puzzles more than anything, it took us weeks to think this one up"

Sherlock was thoroughly confused by now, it must of shown.

"Dear me, I really think he's forgotten" Mycroft teased.

"Forgotten what?" Sherlock demanded

The group parted, revealing the table, which was laden with food, including a very large white cake with Sherlock's name on it in blue.

"Happy Birthday dad!"

**So, how long did it take you guys to figure out what was really going on? :P**

**Alright serious bussiness**

**I've been considering making a video about Sherlock and the Irregulars? Who's for it?**


	44. Chapter 44: Elephants

It seemed, for once in the doctors life, that things were calm. Sherlock was off with the Irregulars at the zoo, apparently teaching them how to survive should they run into any of the dangerous animals. John decided he would wait at a cafe and get some real food into himself for the first time in days while they were busy. Lestrade even joined him and for a half hour everything was going very well until screams filled the air.

"What the bloody hell?" Lestrade stood, looking in the direction of the yells, which were coming from around the corner, suddenly Joe came whizzing round the corner.

"For the love of god run!" He yelled, dashing straight past the two men, he was quickly followed by several other Irregulars.

"Go, go, go!"

"Holy crap run!"

"Move it!"

Sherlock ran around the corner, being the only one to stop, just in time. A few extra seconds and he would bowled the two older men over.

"Are you deaf?" He panted, "Run!"

"But why?" John asked, "Sherlock what's going on"

Before the detective could answer a rumbling filled the air and suddenly a stampede of elephants charged round the corner.

"That's why!" He yelled, pushing John and Lestrade into a run.

"What the hell did you do!" Lestrade bellowed

"It wasn't me!" Sherlock yelled, dodging around a post box.

"It was me!" Clara yelled, "I didn't mean too!"

"I don't think now is the best time for this conversation!" John interrupted, the others nodded and focused on running, they just had to find a small alley way that the elephants wouldn't follow them into. Unfortunately the zoo was on a main road and there were only turn offs, no alleys. John made a mental note to haunt the hell out of Sherlock if he died after being stepped on by an elephant.

The entire scenario had an air of humor to it, at least it did until Clara tripped. The girl was only a few meters a head of the men but by falling John and Lestrade had run past her before they even had a chance to process what had happened. However as always Sherlock was one step ahead of everybody, he slowed, didn't stop, but slowed. Just enough so that he could crouch down, gather Clara up in his arms and then bolt forwards still running.

Finally, an alley. By the time John, Lestrade, Sherlock and Clara arrived all the other Irregulars were panting and trying to catch their breath. The elephants thundred past.

"So, is anybody going to do anything about that?" Lestrade panted, shoving a htumb in the direction the elephants just went running.

"Mycroft will handle it" Sherlock sighed, placing a trembling Clara on the ground at his feet.

"So, what exactly happened?" John asked once everybody had caught their breath.

"Clara was practicing picking locks" Halie supplied

"Why would you unlock the elephant cage?" Lestrade groaned, the girls face went as red as her hair.

"I thought it was the door to the aviary" She admitted, "When I saw it was full of elephants I screamed and well, I guess elephants don't like screaming"

"Clara you really should be more careful-" John began only to be interrupted by the inspector.

"I'm sorry but are we just going ignore the fact that this little girl, got past zoo security and picked a cage lock all by herself?"

"For them, it's really not the unusual" John drawled not looking even the least bit fazed.

"I really worry about how they will turn out some times" Lestrade grinned, "Come on, we should get going"

The inspector patted his pocket looking for his phone, which wasn't there.

"Looking for this?" Clara smiled holding up not only the inspectors wallet but keys and phone.

"How did you-?"

"We pick your pocket when you annoy us" Clara poked her tongue out, John snickered and Sherlock ruffled the girls hair.

"That's my girl"

**Argh, completely dry of ideas...well I have a few, but they are not great**


	45. Chapter 45: Past Shadows

**Picture by Zebraanimator on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 15**

**Nina - 5**

**Emily - 12**

**Mason - 7**

**Riley - 9**

**Cedric - 2**

**Natty - 8**

**Halie - 13**

**Marie - 7**

**Dan - 11**

**Ricky - 12**

**Lisa - 6**

**Carlo - 10**

**Mikey - 9**

* * *

><p>Rickey was bar far the most tolerable of Sherlock's brats. Anderson could remembering him speaking only a handful of times and usually only in moments of great importance. He had attacked him after Sherlock's 'death' but he let that slide after all they had just lost their father. Even if he hated Sherlock with the fiery passion of a thousand suns, that didn't mean he should blame the kids. He hated them all for different reasons, Rickey on the other hand, was tolerable.<p>

At the moment the kid was doing some kind of experiment in the crime lab at Scotland Yard under Sherlock's order, the kid was enjoying himself it seemed. And he wasn't talking or disturbing Anderson so he let it slide, though he still didn't like kids in his lab.

"Ah!"

Anderson looked up from his paper work to see the boy covered in some chemical, staining his shirt an odd green colour.

"Well, its defiantly copper based" He groaned

"Here" Anderson threw him one of the spare police shirts from the shelf, spills were not uncommon here and he wouldn't make the kid walk around like that all day.

Instead of thanking him Rickey just looked at the shirt in his hands like Anderson had handed him a snake.

"Just...change here?" He asked nervously

"Well yeah, it's just a shirt." Anderson rolled his eyes going back to his work.

The kids eventually shed his shirt and went to replace it but Anderson saw it. Scars, large deep pink lines littered the boys shoulders on the back and front. They looked old, probably from his early childhood but they were there, despite the freaks constant jibes Anderson did posses some detective skills, those were caused by either a thin rope, wire or more likely, a whip.

"What the hell is that freak doing to you?" He exclaimed, Rickey jumped.

"What?"

"Your shoulder!"

"Oh...oh no dad didn't-"

"What's going on?" Sally asked as she entered the room with Sherlock, John and Mira.

"If you have finished you can go home" Sherlock instructed, Rickey seemed relieved but didn't get to the door.

"What the hell did you do to his shoulders!" Anderson yelled, "They look like somebody took a whip to them!"

"Somebody did" Sherlock replied darkly

"Anderson did didn't-"

"You sick bastard!" Anderson ignored Rickey's attempt to cool the situation.

"You whipped a kid?" Sally cried

"Dad didn't do it!" Rickey yelled, it was the loudest sound to ever escape his lips.

Mira scowled at Anderson and Sally.

"A bloody biker gang did" Rickey continued, "Dad took them all out because of it, he saved me"

The air was thick and electrified, everybody was waiting for Sherlock's retort. However what he did say shocked everybody.

"Copper based then?" The question was directed at Rickey, he nodded, sherlock smiled. Actually smiled!

"Good, then let's get going, we can arrest the man now" And with that Sherlock and his son swept out of the room, leaving Donovan and Anderson feeling slightly embarrassed by their accusations and Mira and John looking furious.

"John, you've seen Sherlock's medical records?" The question was obviously for John but her boiling eyes never left the police officers.

"Yes" John answered, also not letting his glare waver.

"You connected the dots?"

"Yes"

"Do you think these two are smart enough to do the same?"

"Not a chance"

"Well then" Mira replied giving the duo a final hate filled glare, "I guess they will need to look up Sherlock's police record themselves, if medical wont give them the answers they gave us"

"You two should you know" John seethed, "Then you would never accuse Sherlock of hurting a child"

With that the two stormed out of the room. Leaving both Anderson and Donovan with a niggling curiosity. If Sherlock was on the database it most likely meant he had been arrested, charged or at least involved in some kind of crime. That dirt was just too good to let go.

The two swiftly entered his name into the file banks and there it was, his picture and a list of charges. The most recent were at the top and even those were several years old, possession of illicit substances, disorderly conduct, a few complaints from sensitive people he had insulted. It was all very interesting and until Donovan pointed out the very first entry, in which was from 1984, Sherlock was only eight in this. At first they bet on what an eight year old Sherlock could of done to earn himself his first offense but when they clicked the file they were shocked to find it wasn't a charge, but an inclusion of crime.

**May 6th 1984**

**Sherlock Holmes, age 8, is missing. He was last seen at his home with his elder brother after police arrived there responding to a domestic disturbance. It appears Cornelius Holmes the boys father murdered his wife with both sons witness not long before the authorities arrived. The boys were found hiding in a cupboard not far from the body of Violet Holmes but, according to the eldest, witnessed everything through the slats in the cupboard. The younger slipped away from his brother during the clean up and his whereabouts are unknown. **

**May 9th 1984**

**Sherlock Holmes, was finally located yesterday after being missing for three days. The boy had apparently been living on the streets until somebody reported seeing him and he was bought to the police station. **

**After some struggling we have managed to examine him for injury. The boy is quite healthy and well fed considering his time on the streets. However x-rays reveal obvious signs of physical abuse from the age of two onwards, most likely inflicted by his father. **

**The boy is unemotional at best and angry at worst, dislikes being kept at the hospital and has tried to escape once already, he refuses to speak of his parents. He shows little empathy and bears the marks of mental abuse, however refuses to talk about it. **

**The elder brother Mycroft, age 15, is coping well considering the circumstances and seems to of suffered significantly less abuse compared to his brother. **

**They will both be placed in foster care within the next few days.**

**May 20th 1984**

**Sherlock has escaped the foster care facility and is currently missing. His brother insist we do not look for him as he is "going to be much happier looking after himself". The search will continue regardless. **

According to the file they didn't manage to track Sherlock down until he was fifteen, and that was his first offense. Each time they put him in foster care he simply escaped again and once he turned 18 there as nothing they could do.

It didn't make him pity the man, he still hated him, however he did understand where Watson and the woman were coming from. Somebody who suffered that way as a child, wouldn't inflict it on their own kids.

**I wanted to do a Sherlock backstory :) This is based of the AU Sherlock movie The Seven Percent Solution. Which is a directors idea as to why Holmes is the way he is. **

**Also hurray hurray, I now have a beta reader :) Lets give theBrillianceofNight a round of applause! I will update, she will edit then send it to me and I will replace the chapter with corrections :) So if you see spelling or grammatical errors from now on, don't worry, odds are they will be fixed up soon. **

**Oh and I'll be doing Rickey's back story soon ;)**

**Oh and I have made a video about Sherlock and the Irregulars, but I haven't decided whether or not to upload it**


	46. Chapter 46: Sparkle Sparkle!

**Picture by Zebraanimator on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 15**

**Nina - 5**

**Emily - 12**

**Mason - 7**

**Riley - 9**

**Cedric - 2**

**Natty - 8**

**Halie - 13**

**Marie - 7**

**Dan - 11**

**Ricky - 12**

**Lisa - 6**

**Carlo - 10**

**Mikey - 9**

* * *

><p>When John's phone began to ring the first red flag popped up in his head. The call was from Sherlock, Sherlock never called, always texted. If he was calling something was very wrong, he answered the phone and held it to his ear, ready to greet his friend when he almost dropped it due to the loud voice booming from the other end of the device.<p>

"John! You have to help me!"

"Sherlock?" John gaped, "What's wrong"

"I can't get rid of them!" He growled, John could faintly hear the sound of maniacal laughing and the ka-chunk! Ka-chunk! Sound of a stapler.

The line went dead.

His concern now diminished slightly and curiosity peaked John made his way back to Baker Street. When hen entered the flat it was eerily quiet, he climbed the stairs and opened the door to 221B with trepidation. However no amount of preparation could of prepared him for the sight that greeted him.

Sherlock was in his usual position on the couch however he was glittering. The man's clothes were completely covered in rhinestones of various shapes and colours. The detective had been bedazzled! Even his hair housed a few sparkling stones. A quick glance to the left revealed the man's coat and scarf had received the same treatment; the scarf was patterned with silver and blue hearts.

"Um, Sherlock is there something you want to tell me?" John chuckled trying to cover his mouth.

"I wouldn't laugh if I were you" Sherlock seethed, pointing to John's armchair.

On it sat John's favourite beige sweater, well it wasn't very beige now. It was covered in pink, rhinestone hearts. The small glittery stones forming one giant heart over the front and a star on the back.

"What the hell?" John exclaimed picking up the jumper with a mix of horror and shock.

"It seems," Sherlock mused, "Halie, Marie and Clara were given Bedazzlers by Mira. They have already covered all the clothes I own in this blasted things"

He picked one of the stones off with a look of annoyance, John snickered.

"Why are you laughing?" Sherlock asked, "They've been in your room for a while now"

The blood drained from the doctor's face just in time for the three girls to appear at the door, each branding a large pink gun shaped toy. They also had several of the doctor's jumpers, each sparkling like the ocean in summer.

"We're finished!" Halie grinned, "Nina's is the best!"

John gaped as Nina held out his now very pink, very sparkly, handgun.

"I wanted to bedazzle the bullets too but they wouldn't fit if I did" Nina smiled.

"Um, these do come off right?" John asked, he'd seen Sherlock pick one off before but you never knew what these kids could do.

"Oh yes, but we used super strong glue so it takes a bit of effort" Marie grinned with every word.

John groaned.

"At least you have a set of non-sparkling clothes" Sherlock pointed out, innocently. At least he pretended to be, he knew by saying that he had doomed John to an afternoon looking like a disco ball.

It took a matter of seconds for the girls to tackle him and begin shoving the guns against his clothes.

Ka-chunk! Ka-chunk! Ka-chunk!

A few minutes later John was clad in an almost completely rhinestone covered outfit, colours ranging various pinks and purples. Oh great now people would defiantly talk.

**The next story I have is more a hurt/comfort so I wanted to do a short humour one before that. **

**I'm running dry again. **


	47. Chapter 47: Poison

**Picture by Zebraanimator on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 15**

**Nina - 5**

**Emily - 12**

**Mason - 7**

**Riley - 9**

**Cedric - 2**

**Natty - 8**

**Halie - 13**

**Marie - 7**

**Dan - 11**

**Ricky - 12**

**Lisa - 6**

**Carlo - 10**

**Mikey - 9**

* * *

><p>"Dan!"<p>

The boy felt a heavy shove in his shoulder as he was knocked to the side, falling onto the concrete heavily. His father had been tracking down a league of Saracen assassins the last few days and had asked Dan to help finding the hide out. It was his job to stay on the rooftop, peering through the broken skylight and if things went pear shaped, call Lestrade on Sherlock's phone. But he couldn't help it, he had to climb down through the cracked fitting onto a pile of boxes inside to help. One of the men had knocked John's gun from his hand and was closing in. He had jumped from the tall pile onto one of the assassin's shoulders effectively saving John's life with the element of surprise.

Now he was on the floor, his father had knocked him down but he didn't know why. He heard the discharge of Uncle John's gun and the last man fell to the ground a strange thin wooden tube in his hand.A blowpipe? It was of been a dart that Sherlock had shielded him from.

"Well, that can't be good" Sherlock huffed, pulling a long black thorn like dart from his neck.

"The same as the others?" John asked worriedly

"Others?" Dan asked worriedly, what if this is how they had killed people?

Sherlock nodded, John paled.

"We need to get you home. Now" John ordered and surprisingly his father agreed. Hailing a cab was easy, Sherlock was unusually quiet, so Dan was forced to break the silence.

"Dad...you're not going to die are you?" He asked biting his lip, Sherlock shook his head.

"It's not their death poison, the assassin grabbed the wrong dart" He replied, Dan could see colour seeping into his cheeks, "This wont kill me, but it will not be pleasant"

By the time they had arrived at Baker street it was obvious Sherlock had developed a fever, he leant heavily on John as they made their way inside. Dan pulled the covers off his bed while John helped the detective lay down, Dan could feel his heart beat in his ears.

"Dan, go...home" Sherlock panted

"You should, this isn't going to be fun" John sighed, "Go home get some rest, your dad will be fine in two days time"

Dan shook his head, he was staying.

An hour later he wished he had listened.

The fever continued to rise, Sherlock had lost all sense of lucidity some time ago. He thrash and moaned, his eyes were too dilated to really see anything. An hour after that he'd become completely manic, John had to restrain him to the bed with leather cuffs on his ankles and wrists but he still struggled. No amount of talking could seem to convince him that John wasn't the enemy. Dan huddled in the corner, he'd given up trying to help a long time ago. He'd never seen his dad like this, so weak and venerable. His dad was never like this, he was strong and clever, it wasn't supposed to be like this!

Yet he couldn't make himself leave. Not yet.

Finally in the early hours of the morning it seemed Sherlock had finally yelled himself horse and no longer had the energy to fight and had slipped into an unnatural fever induced sleep.

Dan couldn't take it anymore. It was all his fault. He jumped to his feet and headed for the door, tears stinging his eyes.

"Dan? Where are you going?" John asked

"Away" Dan said simply, he wished his voice didn't sound so pathetic.

As he walked out the door he passed Mrs. Hudson bring fresh towels, he felt slightly guilty at shoving the woman a bit but he was too angry with himself to care. Outside the sky was dark purple, the sun wouldn't even rise for another hour or so. He knew, were his dad aware, he would be angry that Dan was out at this hour. He never liked any of them being out too late at night or early in the morning.

He didn't want to go back to the hotel, so he just walked, kicking a can he found in the gutter as he went until he got to an alley way and angrily stomped the can flat. Kicking into into a wall, then a trashcan in his frustration.

"There you are"

Uncle John, He turned to see the man leaning against the wall.

"Dad, you should be looking after him" Dan growled

"Don't worry Mrs. Hudson has it sorted" John smiled, "Sherlock would hate it if he found out I let you go wandering alone at this hour"

"He shouldn't" Dan grumbled, "It's all my fault"

"You need to stop blaming yourself like this" John sighed, "It seems everything I see you you're full of self loathing"

"So what?" Dan muttered, "I don't even know why he keeps me around, nobody really wants me"

"Sherlock does" John replied immediately and without hesitation, "Mira does, I do"

"Why?" Dan bellowed gripping his hair in frustration, "I don't get it? I make stupid mistakes and drive everybody up the wall and yet your all so nice to me! It doesn't make sense why do you guys forgive me so easily?"

John looked almost perplexed, Dan could feel tears threatening to over flow as he stared at the man. Finally John blinked and broke the stare.

"That's what a family does Dan" He said as if it ere the most obvious thing in the world, "Don't you know that?"

He doesn't know why but that makes him cry, the tears spill over and he sniffs, he won't sob though. Never. He wont!

"Dan..." John says softly coming over closer and looking him in the eye, "You realize that you're not going to be tossed aside because you make stupid mistakes right? I've said it before and I'll say it again Sherlock will never get rid of you."

Dan makes a sound that a mix between a wail and a yell, he felt Uncle John hug him, he started sobbing into his shirt. He wasn't even sure what all the tears were for, certainly not just for tonight. All those years of worry, doubt and fear just seemed to come out without him wanting them too.

John didn't say anything, he just let him cry and when he finally stopped, gently lead him home. Without him realizing the sun had risen, when they entered Sherlock's room he was looking better, more natural. Mrs. Hudson excused herself to make them all an early breakfast, and Dan sat down at the side of Sherlock's bed, suddenly feeling very tired.

As he started to drift off he felt the familiar gesture of Sherlock slowly ruffling his hair. He lazily opened his eyes to find his dad awake, eyes half open.

"Go to sleep" He rasped, Dan nodded.

Despite the awful situation he hadn't felt this content in a very long time.

**Why can I only write Hurt/comfort fics right now? **

**Also guess who's birthday is tomorrow? (29th March)**

**That's right! ME! :D**


	48. Chapter 48: The Book

**Picture by Zebraanimator on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 15**

**Nina - 5**

**Emily - 12**

**Mason - 7**

**Riley - 9**

**Cedric - 2**

**Natty - 8**

**Halie - 13**

**Marie - 7**

**Dan - 11**

**Ricky - 12**

**Lisa - 6**

**Carlo - 10**

**Mikey - 9**

**Clara - 4**

* * *

><p>Sherlock did not enjoy being in charge of Cedric for an entire weekend. Usually he lived in the home or with Mira, she had the time, and patience to deal with a two year old. He did not. Being so young he wasn't like the other Irregulars, he had to be watched constantly. It also meant he had no make sure everything was at least a metre off the ground. For his young age the boy was bright, he clambered up everything, at one point he managed to set off a chemical reaction by switching on the Bunsen burner, Sherlock barely grabbed him before he got splashed with acid.<p>

Now he was forced to carry the boy down to the library with him in order to read the encyclopaedias. He really needed to get a set for himself, he'd read them all before naturally but it was best to refresh the information every few years. Make sure to get modern insights and since he had no cases he picked the weekend to do it.

With his black hair and pale green eyes the boy, ironically, had a mix of Mira and Sherlock's features and was one of the few Irregulars who actually had any resemblance to them, despite the fact they shared no blood. Why the members of Scotland Yard never figured out the Irregulars were not his kids baffled him, they looked nothing alike, save a few, Cedric included.

"Daddy" He called, Sherlock ignored the tug at his coat. He was sitting at a dark desk in the library, encyclopaedia out in front of him.

"Daaaaaaaddy"

"Yes?" He sighed looking down at the boy, who had tired with the picture books Sherlock had dumped at his feet.

"Bored" He whined

"Why not try and explore the library?" Sherlock suggested, "It's safe for you to wander around in here, just don't leave the building"

"Kay" He nodded scrambling off.

It took five minutes before thoughts for the boys welfare invaded Sherlock's brain. He quashed them as best he could but they kept popping up. What if he tried to limb the higher shelves and fell off? What if one of the heavy books fell on him? What if he got lost? What if he wandered into the office of some stranger? What if, what if, what if?

Sighing in frustration he closed the book and went to look for Cedric. He wasn't particularly worried; the odds of him hurting himself in a library were slim, but still.

"Daaady!"

The call came from above him, he glanced up, Cedric was sitting in the True Crime section on a shelf.

"Daddy look, it's your book!" He grinned holding up a thick volume, Sherlock was glad nobody was there to see his jaw drop. The book was red with gold lettering, _A Study in Pink by John Watson. _On the front was a picture of two pills in each in a bottle exactly as it had been on the case, Sherlock's face was faded into the background of the image. Cedric held it out to him grinning.

"Wha's it say?" He asked

"A Study in Pink" Sherlock whispered, "John wrote it"

"Read it!" Cedric pleaded, "Please!"

Still slightly in shock Sherlock took the boy down from the shelf and sat him at the table he had been reading at. Why didn't he know about this? John must of published the story when he thought Sherlock was dead, why didn't Mycroft tell him? Why didn't John tell him afterwards, or Mira? Or the Irregulars? They would of all know about it.

Slowly Sherlock turned the pages of the book, they were loose, this book had been taken out a lot, it was popular. He started reading the story, not really caring that it wasn't exactly fit reading for a two year old but Cedric was wrapt, he hung on every word. The story was romanticised in John's usual fashion, less fact more drama but he kept Sherlock's deductions in tact. He still scoffed at the part about his ignorance though. The story was much more detailed than the original blog post and Sherlock even found himself enjoying it. It took almost an hour to read the entire story to Cedric who loved every word.

"Dad teach me to read it" Cedric begged, he gave the boy a bemused look.

"You're a bit young"

"Pleeeeease"

Sherlock sighed, he felt a small pang of appreciation to his brother, if he was like this as a child maybe it was partly his fault Mycroft was such a stiff. Luckily he got out of the reading lesson when Cedric yawned, nap time not the boy, which meant experiment time for Sherlock!

"Come on" HE smiled picking the boy up and hoisting him over his shoulders, he didn't usually piggy back or carry one of the kids when they were perfectly healthy but he knew he'd be dragging the boy within a few minutes if he walked.

"Hey Dad" Cedric cooed sleepily, "Tha' book, s'at mean you're a hero?"

"No" Sherlock replied quickly, usually he would of added that hero's don't exist but he knew that wasn't true anymore. Sherlock Holmes may not be a hero but John Watson just might be.

**I got a blackwood chest for my birthday :) **

**A pretty good present for boarding school :P Party on the weekend! So my updates might be a bit sporadic **


	49. Chapter 49: Dance

**Picture by Zebraanimator on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 15**

**Nina - 5**

**Emily - 12**

**Mason - 7**

**Riley - 9**

**Cedric - 2**

**Natty - 8**

**Halie - 13**

**Marie - 7**

**Dan - 11**

**Ricky - 12**

**Lisa - 6**

**Carlo - 10**

**Mikey - 9**

**Clara - 4**

* * *

><p>Sally Donovan walked along the streets on London; she'd had a pretty tiring day and decided to take a walk just to clear her head. She'd probably end up at Anderson's by the end of the night, but that was ok. After a few minutes she realized she was about a mile from the freaks place. A load noise caught her ear, old-fashioned rock music, if she was right it was Route 66. But there were no rock clubs in this area, if there were she would more than likely be in one right now.<p>

She followed the sound for a while until she came up to the old apparently not abandoned hotel. It was only two stories high but all the lights were on and the music was blaring. Sighing she walked round to the side trying tot find the music's origin point. More than likely it was a bunch of teenagers who decided to hold a rave in the old building.

She found a window that looked into the old lobby, peering inside, her jaw dropped.

…

_Earlier…_

Sherlock and John were planning to spend the night at the Irregular Hotel. There had been a series of break in's in the area, despite their top-notch security, Sherlock insisted. The kids were in a frenzy of excitement over the large CD player Riley had found at the dump and had spent most of the day looking for old CD's to play.

Being mostly raised by Sherlock the only music they ever really listened to was classical, played by the man on his violin however they quickly adapted to the old rock they found. Even Sherlock had to admit Route 66 had a good beat to it and judging by his foot tapping John was thoroughly enjoying the change in pace.

"It's not Beethoven Dad" Natty admitted while hopping from foot to foot, "But it sure bounces!"

Of course Natty would enjoy this, the beats were loud and she would easily feel them in her feet. The others were dancing too, not properly more like skips and jumps, twists and turns in time with the music. But still, they looked like they were having fun.

"Wow if you had told me about this I'd of stopped by earlier!" Mira beamed as she came through the door, admiring the music which was now playing a variety of swing music. Sherlock decided he liked this better than the rock; jazz music had a kind of soul to it.

"Come dance with us John" Mira invited tapping her toes, Sherlock grunted, he could tell from the constant twitching to the beat John was dying to take her up on the offer.

"Oh go on John it's not like anybody here could dance any worse than you" Sherlock sighed, though he couldn't completely suppress a grin. Pretty soon Mira and John were laughing and dancing along with the other kids, Sherlock smiled as a kaleidoscope of colours descended on the lobby of the hotel, Marie had bedazzled the chandelier.

"Come dance Sherlock" Mira yelled holding her hand out for him, he was glad for the shadows because he was sure he blushed. He couldn't dance, he'd never danced in his life, it wasn't his style, it wasn't useful. He shook his head quickly.

"Oh come on Sherlock" John taunted, "It's not like any of us could laugh at you, we're not exactly great are we?"

"I don't dance" Sherlock said simply.

"Don't or can't?" John raised an eyebrow; Sherlock narrowed his eyes at him.

"Come on dad!" Joe laughed, "This song is perfect for you!"

Dead Man's Party by some guy named Oingo Bonigo. What a stupid name. Again Sherlock declined.

"Come on" Mira urged, "I'll teach you"

Part of his brain told him to try, after all the others seemed to enjoy it. The other half of his brain told he there was nothing o gain by jumping around like an idiot. He remained frozen, until Natty, Rickey and Dan dragged him to his feet awkwardly.

"It's easy" John promised.

As predicted Sherlock was a terrible dancer at first but it didn't take him long to get the hang of it. It was all about moving your body to the beat. A simple enough action.

Shuffle, twist, jump, spin, step, turn and repeat. After a while Mira taught him how to dance to the swing music with her by pressing their palms together. All the kids paired up to copy them and Halie had insisted on dancing with her Uncle. The steps were simple back and forth ones with a few kicks in between. Though Sherlock would never admit it, he was having fun with it.

…

And that is what Sally was gaping at. The freak, his wife and John dancing with the kids in the old hotel. The freak was dancing! To swing music! She looked as Mira splayed her fingers out as she turned, no ring. What? Sherlock wasn't wearing one either, but they were married weren't they? God who knew with that insane family.

The freak spun Mira out towards the window where Sally was currently standing, the women locked eyes. Mira winked at her.

**I wanted to write a fun, silly piece **


	50. Chapter 50: Fear of Fire

**Picture by Zebraanimator on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 15**

**Nina - 5**

**Emily - 12**

**Mason - 7**

**Riley - 9**

**Cedric - 2**

**Natty - 8**

**Halie - 13**

**Marie - 7**

**Dan - 11**

**Ricky - 12**

**Lisa - 6**

**Carlo - 10**

**Mikey - 9**

**Clara - 4**

* * *

><p>"Sherlock!" John yelled, even so it was hard to hear him over the wind.<p>

The storm had only just begun a few hours beforehand but it was terrible, the Thames was close churning with extra water. Sherlock had run out the door when the thunder first began to rumble, knowing the Irregulars were out on the town looking for work that day. It didn't take them too long to get them all gathered up and sent back home in various taxis. Only Natty and Rickey remained, that's when the trouble began.

The two had been huddled under a bus stop trying to wait until the storm calmed down. Rickey was holding the trembling Natty doing his best to muffle the sounds of the thunder with his coat. Sherlock and John had almost made it to them when lightning struck the tree by the small metal structure. Despite the heavy rain the tree lit up with flames and sparks, resulting in a scream not only from Natty but Rickey as well. The shock of almost being struck by lightning sent John reeling backwards, slipping on the slick sidewalk and tumbling into the Thames.

For a second everything was grey water before he broke the surface spluttering and coughing up the water that had made its way into his lungs.

"John!"

"I'm fine Sherlock!" John hollered swimming to the edge. His fingers were numb with cold and couldn't get a grip on the cold stone to pull himself up. This resulted in him plunging back into the water again.

Sherlock reached for his friend, John could see Rickey, still hugging Natty off to the side. For once Sherlock's long limbs were not quite enough, fingers barely brushing against John's digits.

The doctors eyes widened as he watched the still slightly flaming tree begin to creak and fall.

"Behind you!" He yelled before being pulled under again. When he resurfaced a few seconds later he saw that the tree had fallen, Sherlock was clutching his hand and swearing. Even through the rain John could tell it was burnt, the tree must of hit it as he dodged out of the way.

The tree in question was now lying off the edge of the river, above John, sliding closer to the water. If John was just a little taller he could reach it. The flames were still going weakly on a few branches, but otherwise the blackened wood could be safe for him to touch.

"Sherlock, you could reach me from the tree!" John yelled, he was beginning to tire now, fighting the current wasn't easy and he was being pulled under more and more. Sherlock leant on the wood, obviously intending to crawl out to do as John said but he hissed. John felt like slapping himself. Sherlock would need one hand to reach for John, one to support himself on the tree to stop himself from joining his friend in the water. His hand was burnt and tender, he couldn't possibly pull it off.

"Rickey, you have to get John" Sherlock ordered, "There is a 90% chance if I go we will both end up drowning. I can't keep a good grip with my injured hand"

"But, the fire" Rickey yelled, indicating to the braches either side of the trunk, which by some magic, were still burning in the heated rain.

"Just stay-" John was forced to stop as he was pulled under once more, taking far too long to resurface, "-in the middle, the fire wont get you!"

Nodding nervously the boy climbed out onto the trunk, flinching every time he passed a flaming limb until he was over john, reaching down. He was just tall enough to help pull the doctor up to the log, John grabbed onto it for dear life and pulled himself up.

The two collapsed onto the wet ground panting, John from lack of air, Rickey from nerves.

"See, facing your fears is much better than running" Sherlock grinned, Rickey nodded. John decided he would ask later, when they were dry and out of this God forsaken rain.

_Sherlock ran through the smoke and fire, covering his mouth with his scarf though it provided little protection. The biker gang had decided they would rather see their hide out go up in flames if it meant getting away from the detective. _

_A few days earlier he had seen one of the head gangsters whipping a young boy, obviously his son judging by the resemblance. He never approved of violence against children, the boy had only forgotten to reload and gun. He vowed to take down this gang at that moment, even if it meant killing a few of them himself. _

_"Dad! Dad, help me!" _

_The cry was coming from above him to the right. Sherlock looked up, it was the boy with the bloody shoulders, the upper pathway had been destroyed by a falling beam, leaving the boy trapped on the upper level. Sherlock could see the boy's father on the ground below, he looked up at the pleading child, then turned his back and ran._

_ For a moment Sherlock was back in his childhood home, huddled in the corner as his father closed in on him, Mycroft peering through the door that lead to the hallway. _

_"Mycroft! Mycroft save me! Help!" Sherlock had begged, Mycroft simple turned a blind eye and closed the door. _

_Snapping out of his flashback Sherlock made his way to the ground beneath the walkway, the boy was half obscured by the smoke that was rising to the ceiling. _

_"Hey!" Sherlock yelled, "Down here"_

_A blackened face peered down at him._

_"Jump!" Sherlock yelled, "Lower yourself from the bars then let go"_

_"I can't!" The boy cried, "My shoulders…."_

_"I know, it'll hurt but you have to!" Sherlock ordered, they were running out of time the roof would come down any second. _

_"I'll die" He cried_

_"Don't worry I'll catch you I promise!" Sherlock implored looking him straight in the eye. Biting his lip the boy climbed through the walkways bars, Sherlock could tell lowering himself through them hurt his shoulders badly. He was now hanging just above Sherlock, looking nervous._

_"I'll catch you!" Sherlock repeated, holding out his arms. The boy closed his eyes and let go, as promised he landed safely in Sherlock's arms. _

_"Come on lets move!" Sherlock said seriously, lowering the boy to his feet and taking his hand, leading him through the smoke and out the door just as the building came down. _

_"Thankyou" The boy whispered, "I'm Rickey"_

_"Sherlock" The detective panted._

**People having been asking for the story of the first Irregulars, I never really said it but I always saw Sam as the first one. So technically the story has already been done. **


	51. Chapter 51: Poker

**Picture by Zebraanimator on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 14**

**Nina - 4**

**Emily - 11**

**Mason - 6**

**Riley - 8**

**Sam - 9**

**Natty - 7**

**Halie - 12**

**Marie - 6**

**Dan - 10**

**Ricky - 11**

**Lisa - 5**

**Carlo - 9**

**Mikey - 7**

* * *

><p>"A poker night?" Sherlock groaned from his place on the couch, "Dull"<p>

"Lestrade invited us and I said we'd go" John huffed, "Come on!"

"I don't play poker" Sherlock grumbled, "Besides, Carlo and Riley are here tonight"

"Can we come with you?" Carlo asked grinning, "Please! We love poker!"

"We'll be quiet promise" Riley implored.

"It's a waste of time and energy" Sherlock grumbled but put his coat on none the less.

"We'll drive Anderson up the wall" Carlo teased, Sherlock smiled at that.

As predicted Anderson, Donovan, Dimmok and Molly were already at Lestrade's apartment when they arrived, just getting ready to divide up the chips and cards. Dimmok groaned when he saw the two boys standing by John and Sherlock.

"You bought kids to a poker match?" He drawled, "They'll be bugging us all night!"

"We can be quiet," Carlo pouted.

"Well they are here so get over it" Lestrade sighed and started dealing; the two boys sat behind Sherlock and looked on with interest. After a few seconds everybody studied their cards, to most everybody's surprise Sherlock barely glanced at his own, opting to show them to the boys. Riley looked to Carlo and nodded to Sherlock to get another card.

This went on for a few rounds before anybody said anything.

"Are you getting help from a bunch of little kids?" Anderson teased.

"We're nine and ten" Carlo growled, "We're not little"

"And we're going to win" Riley added

"Prove it" Sally dared laying down her cards, everybody followed suit. Even John caught the small grin that passed over Sherlock lips as he laid down a royal flush. Carlo gathered the chips from the tables centre and stuck his tongue out.

"I've never played" Sherlock said simply, "I doubted you would be give me an accurate description of the rules so I let them play for me"

"So, we just got beaten by two boys?" John chuckled, Sherlock nodded.

"Well let them play separately then" Lestrade invited, "Lets see how they do without you"

"You're totally lying" Sally added, "You know how to play your just trying to make us look bad"

Sherlock vacated his seat and Carlo took it, snapping up his new cards and looking at them intently. After a few rounds people laid out their cards. John felt confident because he had four of a kind. Carlo just laughed and laid out a flush. Riley took his place for the next game and once again, beat the entire group, Sherlock looked on proudly. The boys continued to win games until Dimmok threw his cards into the air in frustration as the last of the chips went into the substantial pile by the kids.

"Where did you two learn to play poker like that?" Anderson growled, they just winked.

"You know…" Carlo grinned, "I do believe we were paying for real money"

"Yeah" Riley added, "I think you owe us around a hundred bucks each now"

John laughed as the Scotland Yard team groaned.

_The room at the foster house was cold, the two boys were curled up under white sheets, looking up at the moon through their dusty window. The eldest was only six, his little brother looked over at him._

_"Carlo?"_

_"Yeah Riley?"_

_"How long do we need to stay here?"_

_"I told you, until they find us a home"_

_"Why can't we just go back to our house?"_

_"Cause mum and dad aren't there" _

_"Why not?"_

_"I told you Riles, the doctor said they went to sleep"_

_"Are they gonna wake up soon?"_

_"They're never gonna wake up, I told you" _

_"Why not?"_

_"That's what happens when somebody dies."_

_"Are we gonna die too?"_

_"Well yeah, one day"_

_"Soon?"_

_"No, not soon"_

_…_

_Soon they found families willing to take them in, but not together. Nobody wanted them both, they could only take one. Riley clung to his brother and refused to be taken away. After that families stopped being interested at all. The head of the home came down on them hard, separating them, demanding they went with the next family who made an offer. Even if it meant they wouldn't be together. _

_So they ran. Out onto the streets, even living in the gutter was better than being alone. So that's what they did._

_Their new 'home' was a small alley way behind the casino, being so small they managed to sneak into the brightly coloured poker rooms to steal food occasionally. They also learnt how to play poker this way. Meeting up with street kids, playing with old cards to win money and clothes. Sometimes the other kids got angry with them and called them cheaters; they often had a few black eyes after that. _

_They had been living this way for about a month when it happened. Riley had been scavenging in a dumpster when he heard something, climbing down he was met with the huge, furry face of a gigantic dog. The dog was almost as tall as him, with huge white fangs dripping down drool. He screamed. The dog barked and stepped forwards knocking the boy to the ground. _

_However when Riley closed his eyes, instead of fanging ripping into his neck, a leathering tongue scraped across his face. The dog was licking him. _

_"Riley!"_

_Carlo was at his side in a second dragging him out from under the great dog. The two watched the beast for a moment before it turned and walked away, stopping after a few metres and turning to look back at them. It was waiting._

_"I think it wants us to follow it" Riley suggested, Carlo nodded. The two followed along behind the huge dog, through the streets of London. Whenever they fell behind it would wait for them, then continue on it's way, occasionally barking at them to hurry up. _

_Eventually the dog lead them to a house and began pawing on the door until a tall dark haired man opened it. Riley jumped behind his brother. The man studied them with his grey eyes for a few moments before they softened slightly. _

_"Well Gladstone, what have we got here?"_


	52. Chapter 52: Pain

**Picture by Zebraanimator on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 15**

**Nina - 5**

**Emily - 12**

**Mason - 7**

**Riley - 9**

**Clara - 4**

**Natty - 8**

**Halie - 13**

**Marie - 7**

**Dan - 11**

**Ricky - 12**

**Lisa - 6**

**Carlo - 10**

**Mikey - 8**

**Cedric - 2**

* * *

><p>John was frozen on the spot, gun aimed at the thug but unable to fire. Sherlock was at his side in the same predicament, however, weapon-less. The thug held a knife, ordinarily this would pose no threat for an ex-army man with a handgun, however, that knife was poised over Marie's throat.<p>

"Put her down, now" John ordered calmly, "Or I will kill you"

"She's a little snitch," The man growled pushing the blade lightly against the small girls neck, leaving a tiny trail of blood. John felt Sherlock twitch; wanting nothing more than to jump forward and throttle the man.

"Daddy…" Marie pleaded

"Shh Marie" Sherlock hushed, "Don't worry"

"Now, you gimmie five minutes and I'll give you the girl" The thug demanded.

"John, Marie" Sherlock sent them both a look, they gave a slight nod.

"Vatican Cameos!"

The effect was instant. Marie elbowed the man in the crotch and ducked to the side. The blade of the knife missing her neck by inches. As the man doubled over she ducked, quickly off to the side, John fired. The bullet hit the man's shoulder sending him sprawling to the ground groaning with pain. Sherlock swooped down and picked up Marie, inspecting her neck carefully.

Lestrade arrived, the man was taken away and soon Sherlock was dropping Marie off at home, with a small bandage on the cut.

"She seems very calm" John noted with a chuckle, "Guess they are used to all this now"

"This can't keep happening" Sherlock replied darkly, looking out the window.

"What can't?" John asked

Sherlock didn't answer.

…

It was two days later and John had almost forgotten the comment Sherlock had made in the cab, almost. It was a normal day however there seemed to be a black cloud hovering over Sherlock. The man had been writing sad music all morning, John prepared himself for another one of Sherlock's 'black weeks'. That's when Joe, Marie and Emily came running through the door. The two younger children were in tears and Joe looked frightfully pale.

"Dad a whole bunch of social workers showed up at the hotel!" Emily cried

"They loaded the rest of us into cards!" Marie added, "They're trying to take us away!"

"They told us we were going into the foster system!" Joe exclaimed

"I know" Sherlock replied coolly without turning to face them. He looked out the windows, violin still resting on his chin.

"What?" Emily yelled angrily, "Then why aren't you stopping them!"

"Because I called them" He replied unemotionally, John's jaw dropped.

"You told social workers to take them away?" The doctor gaped, the trio looked like Sherlock had just slapped them.

"Yes" He shrugged, turning, John almost shivered under his steely gaze. His grey eyes revealed nothing.

"You…you're sending us away?" Marie croaked, Sherlock nodded.

"Why?" Emily yelled through her tears.

"I can't keep having you all interfering" He said simply, "Last night we almost lost the criminal because of Marie"

The girl flinched.

"Sherlock!" John scolded, "You can't just get rid of them!"

"I just did" Sherlock pointed out cruelly before turning back to his violin, "I believe the car outside is for you three"

Even joe was blinking back tears now, John felt his blood boil at Sherlock's cruelness.

"Come on" Joe said softly to the girls, "We have to get going…"

"What about mummy?" Marie sniffled

"She can't afford to pay the bill on the hotel by herself and we can't all live with her" Emily grumbled, "Isn't that right _Sherlock"_

The detective nodded.

"I'm sure she will visit" He added airily.

The children left without another word. Silence fell upon the room, Sherlock had apparently grown tired of his violin, yet he didn't put it away.

"What the hell was that!" John yelled in fury, "What the hell did you do?"

"It needed to be done" Sherlock said finally, "I can't have my work suffer"

"Can't have your work- Sherlock those were you kids!" He yelled, "Your family!"

"Don't be stupid John, they were not my children" Sherlock hissed

"They were as good as" John whispered, but he was sure Sherlock heard.

…

John saw Mira a few weeks later, she looked heartbroken. Apparently Sherlock had not even told her, Mycroft had.

"They are being terrors" She sighed, "They don't want any foster parents to take them"

"They want tot be together?" John guessed, she nodded.

"Dan, Clara and Joe are taking it the worst" She sighed, "Dan has completely closed himself off, the others tell me he hasn't even spoken since it happened"

"He was always afraid Sherlock would get rid of him…" John remembered, "I promised him he never would…"

"They're all heart broken, Natty tore her bionic ear out"

"Gods…"

…

For the first month barely anybody spoke to Sherlock. John only did when he had to and Lestrade had simply stopped giving cases to the man. They were running on private ones alone, well Sherlock was. John rarely went with him. Mira informed that none of the Irregulars had managed to find a home, they had a few offers but immediately made themselves despised. They were constantly trying to escape, however Mycroft had apparently put them under surveillance and it was only a matter of hours before one of his men bought them back to the home.

After that first month, John began to stop being angry and started to notice. Sherlock barely spoke, even less than usual. He never showed off, he didn't make fun of John's ignorance. He barely slept or ate and it was beginning to show. His powers of observation were even affected, more than once John caught the man flicking through the photo album. The doctor could watch for up to a minute before Sherlock even noticed. When he did, he would stuff the book away and try to look like he was busy being a sociopath.

"You miss them," John said finally

"I do not," Sherlock rebuffed

"You do" John argued, "Don't lie to me Sherlock"

He glared at him, the grey eyes piercing into John's.

"Why did you send them away? You obviously want them around" John continued, Sherlock looked away and mumbled something.

"What?"

"It was for the best"

"How? How Sherlock?" John felt himself getting angry again, "How is this for the best? You're miserable, they're miserable, Mira is too! You made them hate you Sherlock!"

"I'd rather they were sad and bitter toward me than dead" Sherlock snapped.

Click.

"You sent them away cause you thought they were going to end up dead" John deduced, "Not because your work was suffering"

"Sam did" Sherlock pointed out, still not betraying his emotional mask, "If they hate me they will not miss me, ergo, they will find new families and live normal, safe lives. Just give them time"

"Sherlock did you ever think that maybe they liked this life?" John asked, "Like us, they enjoy danger and you do everything you can to protect them, they know that"

"Well, it's not enough" Sherlock replied, John chose to ignore the fact that his voice cracked slightly.

"Sherlock stop being stupid" John sighed, "Those kids loved you, deep down they still do and don't lie because I know you love them too"

Sherlock didn't look at him, opting to fiddle with the stitching on his armchair.

"Give them the choice, let them come home" John implored, "Mira tells me how dejected they are, Dan hasn't spoken in over a month! Natty ripped her aid out!"

"Really?" Sherlock breathed obviously shocked. John nodded.

"At least they are safe!" Sherlock argued, his voice was heated as he flopped down onto the chair dramatically clawing at his dark curls, "I wont have them in danger again!"

"Sherlock-"

"No, Jon!" Sherlock yelled, "I will not loose them, even if it means I never see them again, as long as they are safe I don't care!"

**Oh dear…**


	53. Chapter 53: Pain II

**Picture by Zebraanimator on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 15**

**Nina - 5**

**Emily - 12**

**Mason - 7**

**Riley - 9**

**Clara - 4**

**Natty - 8**

**Halie - 13**

**Marie - 7**

**Dan - 11**

**Ricky - 12**

**Lisa - 6**

**Carlo - 10**

**Mikey - 8**

**Cedric - 2**

* * *

><p><strong>Marie<strong>

She curled herself up on the bed, the foster home was awful. A nice couple had taken an interest in her about a week ago, she was tempted to go with them. Emily wouldn't talk to her at first, she blamed her for Da-Sherlock, sending them away. After a while she calmed down though, they all stuck together here.

So when the couple asked her if she'd like to come and live with them, she asked how they would like to be hit by a bus. That was the end of them.

**Carlo**

He couldn't believe he was stuck back here again, Mycoft's stupid people were too clever to outsmart. They couldn't escape. Riley had cried the first night, a lot of them had. Now they were just numb. Other kids tried to get Carlo to play soccer with them but he didn't feel like it.

He wanted Sherlock, he wanted his mum. He wanted to go home to the Irregular hotel and have his dad snap at him for fiddling with John's medi bag. He wanted his dad to yell at him for messing up his experiment and have John scold him for it. He wanted to go home...

**Natty**

After she had ripped her aid out the people who ran the home yelled at her. They didn't have the money for a new one. Natty didn't care. Just a few months ago Sherlock was there comforting her after the loss of her hearing. At first she felt bitter that he had given her up, but she was smart.

Something was wrong, she knew it. Something else was going on and he would come back and get them. She knew he would. He had to, he just had to.

"Just you wait" She told them every day, "Dad will come and get us"

Even though she still said it every day, she knew nobody believed her, she was even beginning to doubt it herself.

**Lisa**

He promised. He promised she'd never go back to that...woman. She couldn't bring herself to say 'Mama' anymore. Her really mummy was working at the soup kitchen, she came to visit her every few days. She didn't want Belinda. But apparently Belinda wanted her.

It had taken a few weeks but she finally found out and now she was here most days trying to get custody over Lisa. It seemed though, even though he no longer wanted her, that Sherlock had laid traps. Belinda was stopped at every turn, but she was slowly getting closer. The girl figured she had at most three months before she was given up to her.

She'd rather die.

**Joe**

He hadn't cried yet, most of the others had. Deep down, he'd wanted to as well. He waned to yell, scream and punch the walls but he hadn't. He saved all his anger for when people came looking for him. He was pretty safe when it came to foster families, they wanted younger kids, not teenagers. Especially a bitter, angry one like Joe. Perhaps he might of been worse, but even after Sherlock had said those cruel words to him, he still remembered the lessons he had been given. He could hear his dads voice in his head.

_"Remember Joseph, you're the oldest. The others look to you for guidance and support, you need to be strong for them" _

So that's what he did, he held the little ones while they cried and cheered them up when they were sad. He did his best to get Dan to speak and even read Clara her bed time stories. It wasn't enough, he knew that, but he had to try.

**Dan**

He'd lied. Uncle John had lied. Sherlock had given him away, handed him over to social workers, just tossed him like garbage! He couldn't bring himself to speak, if he did, he was sure he would only sob. He'd cried of course, but not a sound had passed his lips. He wished for nothing more than for his father to come sweeping up the corridor and give him orders to follow.

He pulled her dark coat and blue scarf closer, he couldn't bare to take them off.

**Emily**

The social workers were at their wits end and Emily loved it, she put them there. She kicked, screamed and punched every time somebody so much as entered the room. She picked fights, she bit, she hissed and swore. She made their lives a living hell. One week she had refused to eat until they had to resort to force feeding her.

She played awful pranks too. Replaced the toothpaste with wasabi paste. Painted swear words down the hall with the arts supplies. Even short sheeted every bed in the home. Joe had begged her to tone it down a bit but she refused. She'd never listen to anybody, she wanted to go home. She wanted Sherlock.

And this is how she was going to act until it happened.

**Mason**

Mason was one of the best actors int he bunch and he was putting it to use. He was a perfect angel when families came looking, he was sweet, polite and kind. Seven families had already offered to take him, however they all got the same treatment. The day they came to sign the papers Mason would stop his act.

He'd yell and scream abuse, anything he'd deduced about them in their time together. He sussed out affairs, thieves, blackmailers and one couple that were actually drug dealers. He put the training his father gave him to good use.

**Mikey**

"This has to stop" The nurse scolded as she bandaged Mikey's face, "If you continue to pick fights you will be put in solitary. Again"

"I don't care they had it coming" Mikey growled.

He had a black eye and a split lip, as well as his other cuts and bruises from his escapades in the yard. He couldn't help it, everything made him angry.

**Halie**

They had tried to force a psychologist on her. At first she snapped and argued the entirety of their sessions together but that seemed to just make things worse, now she slept. She spent most of her time asleep, or at least curled up in bed. When they made her get up she just curled up on the floor the minute they stopped walking.

She didn't have any energy anymore.

**Riley**

He spent most days with Carlo, just following him around. Mostly in silence, they held hands near constantly. Some nights, when the home sickness was especially bad, he'd fall asleep in Carlo's bed. If he tried he could smell John's aftershave and his father chemicals, sometimes his mothers perfume mixed in as well. God he was so homesick...

**Nina**

She longed for her father, for him to scoop her up in his arms like he did when he was worried. To hear him play his violin for her.

She longed for her mother, her cooking and the hugs, the comfort she gave whenever she suffered a night terror.

She longed for her Uncle John and his wooly sweaters, she wanted him to treat the cuts and bruises she got when she fell. For him to tell her everything would be ok.

She longed for home, where she could climb the glass chandelier and slide down the old banisters. When she could run across London gathering trash and treasure.

And more than anything, she longed to be out of this horrible place.

**Rickey**

Once, he was told he was a boy of few words, now he was a boy of even fewer. He still spoke occasionally if he had to. Simple yes's and no's. But that was it.

He was fairly well behaved, except when families came looking, then he hid. Otherwise the social workers rather liked him, enough that they let him use some simple science equipment. No chemicals or bunsen burners but he got some different rocks and other geology books, even one on plants. So thats what he did, every day he tried to learn more from those books, soon he'd memorized almost every plant that grew in England and where to find them, time to start on America.

**Clara**

She sighed, she was used to this place, she'd been here several times before. She didn't know why it effected her so, she'd been given up so many times. Sherlock had seemed different though, she thought, just maybe she'd finally found a family. Guess she was wrong.

**I didn't do Cedric cause he is only two. Sorry :)**


	54. Chapter 54: Home

**Picture by Zebraanimator on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!**

**Joseph - 15**

**Nina - 5**

**Emily - 12**

**Mason - 7**

**Riley - 9**

**Clara - 4**

**Natty - 8**

**Halie - 13**

**Marie - 7**

**Dan - 11**

**Ricky - 12**

**Lisa - 6**

**Carlo - 10**

**Mikey - 8**

**Cedric - 2**

* * *

><p>"Uncle John!"<p>

Everybody turned at the voice, rough from misuse. It was the first thing Dan had said since arriving at the Foster House. The boy had run straight into John's arms as soon as he entered the room, the other Irregulars soon followed smiling ear to ear, a rare event these days.

"Uncle John we missed you so much!" Halie gripped the edge of his sweater, "We've tried to get out of here but people keep stopping us, they never tried stopping kids escaping before!"

"I know, I'm sorry" John sighed

"How is...dad?" Mason asked after a few moments, the room was silent.

"I don't care how he is!" Emily announced, her shining eyes and cracking voice saying the completely opposite.

"He misses you" John replied honestly

"Yeah right," Mikey spat, "He dumped us in a home!"

"It's not how it seems" John continued, running his hands through his hair. Slowly he explained Sherlock's reasoning for parting ways with them, as he continued the faces turned from anger and bitterness to simple depression and understanding.

"So, he did this so we wouldn't get hurt?" Joe asked, John nodded, "Well that didn't work look at Mikey!"

"What the hell happened to you?" John gasped taking in Mikey's various cuts and bruises

"Picked a few fights" the boy replied airily

"We wanna come home" Nina begged, "We don't want boring normal lives anymore!"

"I've tried to reason with him" John insisted, "Really I have"

"Try again!" Dan asked, "Please"

"We'd rather die than be here" Clara added, "At least I know I would"

Several other Irregulars nodded in agreement and once again silence fell, until it was broken by a cry. John wasn't aware that Natty could make such a desperate sound.

"Dad!"

John swiveled around to see Sherlock half in, half out of the doorway to the room looking conflicted. Natty bounded forward and before anybody could think had her arms wrapped around Sherlock's waist. Sherlock was seemingly frozen, arms slightly raised in shock as if he couldn't figure out whether he should return the gesture.

"Don't go!" She begged, "Please take us home."

Sherlock's gaze danced from face to face, looking conflicted and nervous. John could tell he wanted nothing more than to say yes but was stopping himself.

"I-I just came down here to find out why none of you had found homes yet" He said finally

"Because we don't want homes!" Lisa yelled, "That woman is trying to get custody of be again! You promised she never would!"

"She wont" Sherlock growled, "Mycroft will make sure you only go to homes I approve of"

"Sherlock the only home they want is yours, they'll never go to anybody else" John argued he felt Marie cling to him as he said it.

"I'm leaving" Sherlock said finally prying a tearful Natty off, gently, John noted, very gently.

"Sam would of hated this!" Riley yelled, Sherlock froze, very few people had the ability to do that.

"He'd of killed himself if you dumped him here" Riley continued, "Think about that for a while"

Sherlock seemed to break whatever spell the words had put on him and kept walking, the children seemed to shrink.

"It's not fair!" Dan yelled, clearly making up for his time of silence as he bolted from the room. John yelled at him to come back but it was no use, the boy was gone.

...

Sherlock sighed, leaning against the cold stone walls, it was different from when he was a child, but he still disliked the place. He'd spent very little time here himself before breaking out and living on the streets, nobody cared for him. So when he'd seen the kids he'd reached out, been the person he never had.

Was it a mistake to give them away? They seemed so miserable, he'd hopped they would heal and move on but they hadn't. He just wanted them safe couldn't they understand that?

_"As always, I'm concerned about you" _

His brothers words bounced around his skull, perhaps that is how Mycroft felt about him? Mycroft was a pain, a prat and downright irritating but he did care. At least a little bit about Sherlock, that was obvious. Back in his early drug days Mycroft had tried locking him up, containing him, in a desperate attempt to keep his brother from destroying himself. Finally, it seems Mycroft understood if he tried to keep Sherlock wrapped in cotton wool he'd simply waste away.

Perhaps, the Irregulars were the same? Perhaps they shared more than he thought...

He was snapped from his troublesome thoughts when he heard crying. He knew that sound, it was Dan, judging by the tone of the sobs. Quickly he followed the sound around a few corners till he saw the boy sitting on the ground, crying.

For a few long moments Sherlock just stood there, dumbstruck. Until Dan looked up and saw him, quickly stumbling to his feet and trying to clear his face. Sherlock felt a strange squeezing feeling in his chest.

"What do you want?" Dan mumbled, that was it Sherlock decided, he was wrong, he was defiantly wrong.

"I want to come and take you home" Sherlock said, Dan's eyes widened.

"Really?" He breathed Sherlock nodded, he was then almost knocked over by the force of Dan's hug. This time he returned the gesture being offered to him.

"I'm sorry," The detective whispered, "I wont give you away again, ever. I promise"

...

After getting roughly the name reaction from every Irregulars there was much to do, papers to sort out and all. Sherlock despised paper work, but did it without complaint. A few days later every single one of the children were legally adopted as a Holmes.

Sherlock registered as their father, Mira their mother and John as their guardian.

Mycroft's influence was the most likely reason why the adoption was even allowed, Sherlock and Mira not even being a couple and all, but the papers went through and soon they were all in cabs heading for Baker street.

John had never seen Sherlock or the children so happy, not in a long time. When they arrived at 221b Baker Street Joe finally asked what they had all been thinking.

"When are we going back to the hotel?"

"You're not" Sherlock said simply, for a moment all the children looked frightened, John chuckled.

"Relax, all of you" the doctor smiled, "Sherlock wanted you to be safe and it was my idea, admirably Mycroft paid for it though"

"Paid for what?" Rickey asked

"222 Baker Street" Sherlock replied pointing to the set of flats next door to Mrs. Hudson's.

"Six separate apartments should be enough to house you all" He continued, "222a to 222f"

"It's the new Irregular hotel" John continued

To say the kids were excited was an understatement.

"Thankyou thankyou thankyou!" Natty yelled as she bounced up and down the various stair cases.

"It really is perfect don't you think?" Mira sighed, entering the hall to smile at John and Sherlock.

"Only the best for my kids" Sherlock replied, the comment was so casual that nothing seemed to be wrong with it, it just sort of slipped out. Nobody drew attention to it though, they had been waiting for Sherlock to admit it for a long time.

**:) Thankyou to Lightnshadows for the idea about them buying 222 Baker Street, I hadn't thought of it.**

**Well people it's up to you, do I continue this story or end it here? I'm happy to keep writing if you want me to. **


	55. Chapter 55

**Sequel now up!**

**The Baker Street Irregulars **

**:) **

**Also check me out on Deviant Art as Ulura, I've made covers for my stories including this one**


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